What are government-funded hours?
The government funds a set number of hours of early education each week for eligible children. This funding is paid directly to the nursery, reducing the amount you pay. In some cases — particularly for 3 and 4-year-olds — it can cover all of your core session fees during term time.
JLK Croydon accepts all current government funded entitlements. Once you share your code with us, we handle the paperwork — you simply enjoy the savings.
How many hours is your child entitled to?
For eligible working families. Both parents (or sole parent) must earn the equivalent of 16 hrs at National Minimum Wage per week.
For families receiving certain benefits or where the child is looked after, adopted or has an EHCP.
All 3 and 4-year-olds get 15 hrs. Working families can access up to 30 hrs per week (term time).
How to claim your funded hours
Claiming is straightforward:
- Visit childcarechoices.gov.uk to check your eligibility
- Apply through your Government Gateway (HMRC) account
- You will receive an 11-digit code — valid for 3 months
- Share the code with JLK Croydon at registration or before your term starts
- Renew your code every 3 months to keep the funding active
⚠️ Apply early. Codes can take up to a week to be confirmed. If your code isn't active before the term starts, you may miss that term's funding.
What funding looks like at JLK Croydon
Funded hours are term-time only (approximately 38 weeks per year). During term time, the hours covered by your entitlement are included free at JLK — we don't charge for them. Hours beyond your entitlement, additional sessions, or school holiday weeks are charged at the standard session rate.
JLK Croydon's standard rates are £80/day for 2-year-olds and above (£8.00/hour) and £88/day for under-2s (£8.80/hour). Visit our fees page for full details.
Available funded hours patterns at JLK Croydon
To keep room ratios and routines consistent for all children, JLK Croydon offers funded entitlements in the following patterns:
- 30 funded hours — available as 3 full days (08:00 – 18:00, Monday to Friday). Choose your weekday combination.
- 15 funded hours — available as either mornings (08:00 – 11:00, Monday to Friday) or afternoons (13:00 – 16:00, Monday to Friday).
Please note: a "stretched" 09:00 – 15:00 pattern across 5 days is not available at JLK Croydon. If you need a different pattern, you can attend on a paid session basis at the standard daily rate.
Additional charges with funded hours
If your child attends funded hours only (i.e. no additional paid sessions), a small voluntary food charge applies for meals taken during those sessions (you can opt out and supply your child's own food):
- Breakfast: £2
- Snack: £2
- Lunch: £4.50
- Tea: £4
These charges do not apply to children attending on paid sessions alongside their funded hours.
Tax-Free Childcare
Tax-Free Childcare (TFC) is a separate scheme — it doesn't affect your funded hours entitlement and can be used alongside it. For every £8 you put into your TFC account, the government adds £2 (up to £500 per child per quarter, or £1,000 for disabled children).
TFC can be used to pay the portion of fees not covered by your funded hours — for example, additional hours, holiday sessions or meal charges. Apply through your Government Gateway account. More details at gov.uk/tax-free-childcare.
Questions about your entitlement?
Our team at JLK Croydon are happy to help you work out what you're entitled to and how to apply. Book a tour and we'll talk you through it in person.