Start with the hours that would actually change
- Under nine months: no entitlement under England's working-parent scheme yet; check the age and term-start rules.
- Nine months to under three: eligible working parents can get 30 hours a week for 38 weeks. If eligibility ends, check any other support the child may qualify for.
- Three and four: working-parent 30 hours include universal 15 hours. The universal entitlement remains regardless of income, from the term after the third birthday.
- Reception or compulsory school age: nursery funded-hours entitlement ends under the universal scheme. Check wraparound care and Tax-Free Childcare separately.
Ask for two comparable quotes
Ask the nursery for the monthly bill with your confirmed support and the monthly bill after the support at risk ends. Use the same days, hours and weeks of attendance. Confirm how funded hours are stretched across the year and which meals, consumables and extra hours are charged separately.
Add Tax-Free Childcare separately
If eligible, Tax-Free Childcare adds £2 for every £8 you pay in. The usual top-up limit is £500 every three months per child, up to £2,000 a year, with higher limits for a disabled child. Use eligible payments and the quarterly cap, rather than assuming every bill falls by 20%.
If either parent expects adjusted net income above £100,000, the family does not qualify for Tax-Free Childcare or England's working-parent funded-hours scheme. Other eligibility conditions apply. Universal hours remain separate. Check application, reconfirmation and change dates rather than assuming an instant bill change.
The nursery-budget guide sets out the budgeting steps. The childcare cliff guide explains which support has the £100k limit. General education, not personal financial or tax advice.