Government funded childcare - fees and charges

Information regarding fees and charges that may apply to free childcare places for children aged 9 months to 4 years.

If you are taking up a funded (free entitlement) childcare place for your child, there are some things you should do before you sign up. Understanding your childcare arrangement from the start can help avoid unexpected charges later.

Read your childcare provider’s terms and conditions (Ts&Cs)

Before accepting a place, make sure you understand what you are agreeing to, including:

notice periods
additional hours
charges
changing or leaving your child’s place

If anything is unclear, ask your provider before you sign.

Check which hours are funded

Ask your childcare provider to clearly explain:

which hours are funded
which hours (if any) you will pay for privately
when your funded hours can be used
whether your funded hours are stretched across the year

Know what you are paying for

Your childcare provider may offer additional services alongside your child’s funded place, such as:

meals and snacks
consumables, such as nappies or sun cream
additional activities
extra childcare hours

Make sure you understand what you are being charged for, what is optional and what alternatives are available. Funded entitlement hours must be accessible free of charge.

Childcare providers can charge for additional private hours and ask parents to pay for voluntary extras, but reasonable alternatives must be available so parents can access their child’s funded entitlement free of charge.

Ask questions before you sign up

Ask any questions you have before signing anything. Here are some questions you might like to ask:

what will I actually pay each month?
which hours are funded and which hours am I paying for?
can I opt out of additional chargeable hours?
are additional services and extras optional?
what alternatives are available?
what notice do I need to give if I want to change hours or my child leaves?

Check before making any changes

If you are thinking about:

changing your child’s hours
moving to another provider
leaving the childcare service

Check your childcare provider’s terms and conditions and notice period first. Any agreement you have made for additional privately purchased hours or services may still apply.

Checklist

Before you sign up for a childcare place, make sure you have checked the following:

you have read the terms and conditions
you know which hours are funded
you know which hours you will pay for
you understand any additional charges
you know which extras are optional
you understand the notice period
you know what you will actually pay

Reconfirm working parent entitlement

If you are using the working parent entitlement, remember to reconfirm your eligibility every 3 months through your childcare account. This will allow you to continue receiving your entitlement.