In England, you can get up to 30 hours of free childcare a week for 38 weeks of the year if you are working and your child is at least 9 months old and under 5 years.

You (and your partner, if you have one) must normally be in work and over the next three months must each expect to earn an amount equivalent to working for at least 16 hours a week at the national minimum or living wage that applies in your case (see Box H.5 in Chapter 31).

You may still be eligible for the childcare if just one of you is in work and the other receives employment and support allowance, carer’s allowance or has been accepted as having a limited capability for work for universal credit (see Chapter 12(2) ).

To apply, you will need to set up a childcare account .

For details, see www.gov.uk/free-childcare-if-working .