Early Education and Childcare Expansion 2025
Early education and childcare for working parents is being extending to support more families.
Eligible working parents of children aged from 9 months will be able to get up to 30 hours a week (if taken term time) of Free Early Education and Childcare from September 2025.
- Currently, working parents of 9 months to 3-year-olds can get up to 15 hours a week free education and childcare.
- From September 2025, working parents of 9 months to 3-year-olds will be able to get up to 30 hours a week free education and childcare.
Visit the Childcare Choices website to check your eligibility and sign up to the newsletter to get the latest updates about the early education and childcare support expansion.
- Free early education for eligible working families with children aged 9 months to 3 years (15 hours)
- Free early education for 2-year-olds: Families receiving additional government support (15 hours)
- Free early education and childcare for 3 and 4-year-olds
- Childcare and education providers in Merton
Useful links
- Complaints procedure
- Stage 2 Complaint Form
- Frequently Asked Questions about free early education and childcare
Related websites
- Childcarechoices.gov.uk
Find out what help you could get with childcare costs, including free places and tax free childcare - Childcare calculator
Get an estimate of how much you could get to help pay for childcare - Guidance Zone | HMRC Childcare Choices
Contact us
Email: fsd@merton.gov.uk