Parents are urged to take advantage of extra childcare and help with costs when a new system starts in September.
Eligible working parents will be entitled to an additional 15 hours of free childcare per week, double the current total, for their 3 and 4 year olds.
They can also apply to set up an online Tax Free Childcare account, into which they can save money to pay for other childcare costs, which the Government will top up depending on how much you save.
The changes have been introduced to help working parents meet the cost of childcare, making it easier for them to increase their working hours or develop their career.
Places start in September 2017 for children who turned 3 during summer term (1 April to 31 August) or earlier and have parents who meet the eligibility criteria.
Parents must have obtained an eligibility code by 31 August in order to claim their additional hours (extra entitlement) from September 2017. They are advised to apply in the term before their child would start their free childcare place/hours.
So far, 100 childcare providers in Bury have said they will be delivering the additional funded hours and 136 have signed up to receive payments from a Tax Free Childcare account. These include school nurseries, private nurseries, childminders and pre-school play groups across the borough. Parents are able to use their entitlement flexibly by splitting it across more than one childcare provider for their 30 hours’ free childcare but no more than two sites in one day. To find out which childcare providers near you are offering 30 hours or are signed up to Tax Free Childcare visit www.theburydirectory.co.uk.
For all the details about the changes to the childcare scheme, visit www.theburydirectory.co.uk/30hours.
