Discover Funded Childcare Options Across the UK

Childcare funding varies depending on where you live. Select your country below to see what support you may be entitled to.

To help you get started, we've pre-selected one option based on your location. If you're looking for details in another part of the UK, simply choose from the options below.

Bee Calculator

Childcare funding varies depending on where you live. Select your country below to see what support you may be entitled to.

To help you get started, we've pre-selected one option based on your location. If you're looking for details in another part of the UK, simply choose from the options below.

England Scotland Wales
White Curve

All about our fees and funding - a guide to childcare costs

Understanding childcare funding isn't always easy, but the good news is we're here to help. Click the link below to download our guide to funded childcare and how we offer this at Busy Bees.

Download funding guide
Funding Guide



Buzz

If your child is aged 9 months or above by the end of March and you believe you will be entitled to Working Family Funding for the first time from April, the deadline to apply for your Eligibility Code is 31st March 2026. To obtain a code or to renew your code, if funding is already in place, please visit https://www.gov.uk/check-eligible-free-childcare-if-youre-working or call HMRC (0300 123 4097).

Government funding explained

In England, there are several government-backed schemes to help with the cost of nursery care — from funded hours to tax-free support. Explore the options below to see what you might be eligible for.

Universal 15 hours funded childcare for 3 year olds
30 hours funded childcare for working family
Free childcare for some 2-year-olds (meeting certain criteria)
Tax Free Childcare / Childcare Vouchers
Universal 15 hours funded childcare for 3 year olds
30 hours funded childcare for working family

Eligibility

  • Both parents (or the sole parent in a single-parent household) must usually work 16+ hours a week
  • Each parent must earn less than £100,000 per year
  • You may still qualify if you're on sick leave, parental leave, or certain benefits
  • Immigration status, your child's age, and where they live can also affect eligibility

Important details

  • Funded hours cover 38 weeks per year (term time)
  • At Busy Bees, these are often 'stretched' across the full year — usually up to 22.8 hours/week over 50 weeks
  • You can book extra hours beyond what's funded, which are charged separately
  • Local Authority rules may affect how funding is applied at your nursery

How to apply

Apply online at childcarechoices.gov.uk — if you live with a partner, you'll need to apply together.

Check my eligibility in 60 seconds
Free childcare for some 2-year-olds (meeting certain criteria)

Eligibility

Your 2-year-old may qualify if:

  • You receive certain government benefits
  • Your child has SEND or receives Disability Living Allowance
  • Your child is under a kinship or guardianship order
  • Your child is being looked after by the local authority

Important details

Developed through collaboration with Busy Bees educators across the world to enrich the curriculum.

  • We can 'stretch' funded hours across the full year for more flexibility — usually around 11.4 hours per week over 50 weeks.
  • Need more hours? No problem — you can book additional, non-funded hours to suit your schedule.
  • You may be able to use this alongside other government schemes. Learn more at gov.uk.

How to apply

Speak directly to your Busy Bees nursery team — they can check if places are available and guide you through the next steps.

Book a visit online today
Tax Free Childcare / Childcare Vouchers

Eligibility

  • Families with children aged 0-11 (or up to 16 if disabled).
  • Working families in the UK earning at least the National Minimum or Living Wage for 16 hours a week.
  • Each parent/carer can earn up to £100,000 per year.
  • Includes self-employed, on maternity/parental leave, sick leave, or annual leave.
  • Cannot claim Tax-Free Childcare alongside Childcare Vouchers, Universal Credit, or Tax Credits.
  • For Northern Ireland residents: special eligibility rules apply if using providers or working in the Republic of Ireland.

Important details

  • Busy Bees accepts Tax-Free Childcare and Childcare Vouchers (only for employees started before 2018).
  • Additional funded childcare options vary by UK region (e.g., 15-30 hours in England, 1140 hours in Scotland).
  • For every £8 you pay into online childcare account, the government adds £2 (20% top-up).
  • Use the funds in this account to pay childcare costs.
  • Speak to your centre director for help with hours and funding needs.
Learn more

How to apply

  • Set up an online childcare account at the government's Childcare Choices website.
  • Reconfirm eligibility every 3 months via an easy online process (reminders sent by text).
Check my eligibility in 60 seconds
Waving Bee

Already got the funding code?

Click here to submit your funding code

Submit code
Bee Family

Calculate your fees

Wondering how much your childcare may cost? Try our funding and fees calculator to help estimate your fees.

Fee Calculator
Investigator Bee

Looking for your nursery fee sheet?

Visit your local nursery page to download your fee sheet.

Find your local Busy Bees

Introducing Busy Bees One

Leading the way in Early Years nutrition

We're the only UK-wide early years provider with NHS-accredited menus, offering freshly prepared, nutritious meals made on-site by trained chefs. With our hassle-free Busy Bees One package, there's no need to prepare meals at home!

More than just a meal

Mealtimes are key learning moments, helping children develop confidence in exploring new tastes, handling food, and using cutlery - all essential skills for school readiness.

Busy Bees One Logo
Child cooking with a member of staff

Fostering curiosity and independence

Our diverse menus and engaging routines encourage independence, social skills, and adventurous eating habits, all in a supportive, inclusive environment.

What's included in the package?

Food

  • Three nutritious and balanced meals per day
  • NHS Startwell accredited menus
  • Freshly prepared by our on-site chef
  • A range of snacks and drinks

Consumables

  • Unlimited nappies, wipes and sun cream.*

*Consumables package at applicable centres only. Please speak to your local centre.

Discover Busy Bees One

Frequently Asked Questions

Reading Bee

Do Busy Bees offer totally free places?

Yes, although we prefer to call these 'funded', not 'free'. All our centres offer funded places where parents can access their funded hours without any additional charges. Many families, however, still choose our all-inclusive Busy Bees One package, which offers excellent value and convenience. It includes freshly prepared, nutritious meals, snacks, and drinks, as well as essential items such as nappies, wipes, and sun cream. This ensures children enjoy a consistent, high-quality experience while making things easier for busy parents.

How many hours will my child be funded each day at Busy Bees?

In short, it depends on the centre's opening hours, the number of funded hours you have, and how often your child is in nursery. Funded sessions are capped at ten hours per day by the government,and in line with these guidelines, we are only able to fund a maximum of 10 hours per day. We also don't offer childcare by the hour. As a Busy Bees parent, each month you'll be sent a monthly invoice, which shows your child's funded hours as well as any chargeable non-funded hours and the fee for food and consumables. So, it'll always be clear how many funded hours have been used each day.

If I pay for extra hours and don't use them, can I be refunded?

Unfortunately, not. We must make sure we cover all our running and team costs to provide high quality care for every child at Busy Bees.

Can I roll over my funded hours into the next term?

Sorry, due to restrictions by various local authorities we can't roll over your hours, but we can stretch your child's funding instead. Please speak to the centre director at your child's nursery to find out more.

Nurseries in my area allow parents to send in packed lunches. Does Busy Bees?

At Busy Bees, we're proud to include freshly prepared, NHS Startwell accredited meals as part of our Busy Bees One offering. By maintaining this approach, we can create a safe, inclusive, and enriching mealtime environment that supports children's well-being and development.

If you choose to opt out of the Busy Bees One, we regret to inform you that we cannot allow packed lunches and only home-prepared hot meals will be permitted. This decision has been made after careful consideration and is based on several important factors:

  • Nutritional Consistency - Ensuring all children have access to well-balanced meals that meet high nutritional standards. Packed lunches, while convenient, can vary greatly and are often higher in fats, salt, and sugars.
  • Independence & Learning - Mealtimes provide essential learning opportunities, such as using cutlery effectively, which supports fine motor skill development.
  • Food Safety - Hot meals undergo a reheating process to above 75°C, which helps reduce harmful bacteria to safer levels for safer consumption. In contrast, packed lunches pose a higher risk due to being stored out of the fridge for several hours and not undergoing the reheating process.

I've missed the deadline to apply for my Eligibility Code. Can my child still be funded?

Codes only provide funding in the term after you apply, so if you miss the deadline (on the last day of March, August and December), we will not be able to access the funded hours until next term. If your child is 3 or above then you're still eligible for 15 hours, because it's available to all children, regardless of whether parents are working. HMRC might prompt you to reconfirm your code before the start of the new term, so please remember to do this to stay eligible. When you have your code, please submit this to us online via our webpage and we'll check it's valid with the local authority and confirm your child's place.

I'm planning to take my child on holiday. How will this affect my funded childcare?

If you're planning on being away for under two weeks, generally this is fine, but the more notice you can provide, the better. If it's likely to be longer than this, talk to the team at your child's nursery. They will need to check with the local authority about whether funding can continue.

What should I do if I need to change how long my child attends nursery?

We ask for one month's notice, however if this applies to funded childcare, then speak to the team at your child's centre. Some changes may affect your child's funding claim and depending on the hours involved or when the changes are asked for, they may not be allowed by your local authority until the start of a new term.

What is 1140 hours of Funded Childcare?

From August 2020 all parents of 3 and 4 year olds, will be eligible to receive 1140 hours of funded childcare.

This will be high quality, flexible Early Learning Care (ELC) that is accessible and affordable for all families.

The main aims of the expansion in ELC are to:

  • improve children's outcomes and help get children ready for school
  • increase family flexibility through improved health and wellbeing of children and parents
  • support parents into work, study or training

Don't miss out... If your child is entitled to 1140 hours of Funded Early Learning & Childcare (ELC) contact your chosen Busy Bees Nursery now for more information.

Our quick guide to 1140 Hours

Who's eligible for the funding?

Every 3 and 4 year old is entitled to 1140 hours of funding from August 2020, funding will also be available for eligible 2 year olds.

What funding will I actually get?

You'll be entitled to up 1140 hours per year. At Busy Bees we've worked hard to balance the funding with our ability to bring you really supportive, quality care.

When can my funding start?

You can claim up to 1140 hours of childcare once your child has turned 3. In some local authorities you may only be able to access the funding in the term following your child's 3rd birthday.

Terms follow the school year. For example, if your child's birthday is in July, you are eligible for 1140 hours of funding from August.

What's the difference between the existing 600 hour offer and this one?

Families with 3 and 4 year olds already get 600 hours of funded childcare per week in term time. This is a Universal Offer, so everyone can benefit, the new offer increases funding from 600 to 1140 hours a year.

For more information for your 2, 3 or 4 year old please visit your local Busy Bees for more information on how and when to apply.

How do I use my funding at Busy Bees?

We really want the funding to work for your whole family, so whether your child needs year-round care or part-time support, we'll put together a package that makes life easier - and more affordable.

We'll talk with you about what you need, explain a bit more about how the funding works and help you through the process, step by step. If you know you need certain days and times, it's a good idea to talk to us early so we can get you booked in.

Do I have to use all of my hours?

Not at all. Just use the hours you'd like to.

Is the funding just available in term time?

At Busy Bees we're very happy to stretch your funding across the whole year, averaging your funded hours out for up to 52 weeks; termly funding options are also available.

Tax Free Childcare / Childcare Vouchers

Learn More

What is Early Education?

All children who reside in Wales are entitled to early education (sometimes known as Foundation Phase Nursery) from the term after their 3rd birthday.

All local authorities provide a minimum of 10hrs per week of early education during school term time, either in a local school or in a setting such as a playgroup, day nursery or a Cylch Meithrin.

Our quick guide to Welsh funding

Eligible working parents could receive government-funded Childcare Offer in addition to the early education. This enables parents to receive the combined total of Early Education and Childcare Offer of up to 30hrs per week, for up to maximum of 48 weeks per academic year, which is allocated as follows; 39 weeks during school term time the combined funding will apply, then during the school holidays, when there is no early education, the offer will provide up to a maximum of 30hrs Childcare offer, for a maximum of 9 weeks.

Parents can apply for the early education place through their local authority and if eligible apply for the Childcare Offer. Contact your local Family Information Service for more information.

Tax Free Childcare / Childcare Vouchers

Learn More