Funded childcare in Bristol: how 15 and 30 hours work at The Manor House

Funding is one of the questions we are asked most at The Manor House, and it is worth getting right early, because a missed deadline can mean waiting a whole term. Here is how it works for Bristol families, and how funded hours are used here.

Who gets what

There are two kinds of funded hours.

• 15 hours for every 3 and 4 year old. This is universal. It does not depend on whether you work or what you earn, and it starts the term after your child's third birthday.
• Up to 30 hours for eligible working families, from 9 months old. Since September 2025 this starts from the term after a child turns 9 months, not just for 3 and 4 year olds. For 3 and 4 year olds, the 30 hours includes their universal 15, so it is 30 hours in total.

To qualify for the working families' hours, each parent (or the sole parent) usually needs to earn at least the equivalent of 16 hours a week at the National Minimum or Living Wage, and neither parent can have an adjusted net income over £100,000. There are some exceptions, for example for parents on leave or with caring responsibilities, and the earnings threshold changes each April, so the safest check is the government's eligibility checker on Best Start in Life.

When your child can start

Funding begins the term after your child reaches the qualifying age. For the working families' hours, that is the term after your baby turns 9 months. Bristol City Council sets out the pattern on its free childcare page:

• Born January to March: funding from January
• Born April to June: funding from April
• Born July to November: funding from September
• Born in December: funding from January

For example, a baby born in May 2026 turns 9 months in February 2027, so can start funded hours from April 2027. The universal 15 hours start the term after a child's third birthday.

The deadlines to put in your diary

The working families' hours need an eligibility code, which you apply for online and then give to us. The code has to be in place before the term starts:

• 31 December for a January start
• 31 March for an April start
• 31 August for a September start

We recommend applying at least six weeks ahead, and you will need to reconfirm your eligibility every three months to keep the code valid. If a reconfirmation is missed, the hours can stop, so it is worth setting a reminder on your phone the day you get your code. If you stop being eligible, there is usually a short grace period before the working families' hours end, and 3 and 4 year olds keep their universal 15 hours.

How funded hours are spread at The Manor House

We are registered with Bristol City Council and we offer funding all year round rather than in term time only. That means the hours are stretched across the year: the full 30 hours works out at about 22 hours a week, and the universal 15 at about 11 hours a week. It also means the monthly bill stays the same through the school holidays.

Two ways to use your hours

The government funding covers your child's care and education. It does not cover meals, consumables or optional extras, and paying for these is always your choice, so we offer two options.

The full-service package. This is what most families choose. Your funded hours are free, and you pay for the things the funding does not cover: home-cooked meals and snacks, and everyday consumables such as nappies, wipes and suncream. It means your child joins the full day with everyone else, from lunch in The Pod to an afternoon in the garden.

Fully funded sessions. We also have a limited number of sessions at set times that avoid mealtimes, so there is no charge for food. On these sessions families either pack their own consumables or pay a small daily charge for us to provide them.

Our fees and funding page shows how each option works with real figures, and we are always happy to work through an example bill with you on a visit.

Other help with costs

• Tax-Free Childcare is accepted, and can help with eligible childcare costs beyond your funded hours.
• Childcare vouchers are accepted if you already have them (the scheme closed to new applicants in 2018).
• No registration fee is charged when a child only uses funded hours.

A few practical tips

• Apply for your code as soon as your child is close to the qualifying age, not when the deadline is close.
• Bring your code, your National Insurance number and your child's date of birth when you confirm your place, so we can claim the hours for you.
• If your circumstances change, check your eligibility again before your next reconfirmation date.

If you would like to talk through which option suits your family, the easiest way is to come and see us. Book a show-around and we will go through funding with you in person, alongside the rooms and the garden your child would be using.