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Funding a Bilingual Nursery Place in London: What Help Is Available

A practical guide to funded hours, Tax-Free Childcare, eligibility rules, and how to make the most of government support when paying for a bilingual nursery in London.

26 May 2026·6 min read
Please note: This guide is provided for general information only. Fees, admissions criteria, funded hours rules, and nursery details change frequently. Always verify information directly with individual nurseries and check government sources for current funding entitlements. Bilingual Finder does not guarantee the accuracy of third-party information.

Bilingual nursery places in London are not cheap, but there is more government support available than many parents realise — and some of it can be used at bilingual nurseries, including independent ones. This guide explains the main funding routes, who qualifies, and the practical steps to take before your child starts.

The funded hours entitlement — what you are owed

Every child in England is entitled to some free early education. The entitlement has expanded significantly since 2024 and now covers several age groups:

  • All three- and four-year-olds: 15 hours of free childcare per week (the universal entitlement), available regardless of parental employment or income.
  • Working parents of three- and four-year-olds: 30 hours per week, subject to eligibility.
  • Working parents of two-year-olds: 15 hours per week, subject to eligibility.
  • Working parents of children aged nine months to two years: 15 hours per week, subject to eligibility.

All of these are delivered across 38 weeks of the year (term time), which amounts to 570 hours for the 15-hour entitlement and 1,140 hours for the 30-hour entitlement annually. Some nurseries allow you to stretch the hours across more weeks at a lower weekly amount — ask whether this is an option if you need year-round care.

Who qualifies for the extended entitlements

The 15- and 30-hour extended entitlements (for working parents of under-threes, and the additional 15 hours for parents of three- and four-year-olds) have the same eligibility threshold: each parent must be earning at least the equivalent of 16 hours per week at the National Minimum Wage, and neither parent can earn above £100,000.

For single parents, the same earnings thresholds apply to the one parent. The government reviews the earnings thresholds periodically — check the current rules on the Childcare Choices website (childcarechoices.gov.uk) before assuming you qualify.

If you are self-employed, on parental leave, or your income fluctuates, you can still qualify — the government uses an averaged assessment. Check the guidance on Childcare Choices if your situation is non-standard.

How to apply for funded hours

The universal 15-hour entitlement does not require an application — you simply tell your nursery your child is eligible and they claim it from your local authority. For the extended entitlements (30 hours, or under-threes), you must apply through the government's Childcare Choices portal and receive a code to give to your nursery.

Apply early. The code must be obtained before the term in which you want to use it — typically at least a few weeks before the start of term. The 30-hour code must be renewed every three months. If you miss a renewal, you may lose the funded hours for that term and have to pay full fees until the next term starts. Set a calendar reminder.

Give your code to the nursery promptly. Nurseries need the code to claim the funding from the local authority. If they cannot verify your code before the term starts, they may be unable to apply the funded hours retroactively.

Do bilingual nurseries accept funded hours?

Most Ofsted-registered bilingual nurseries in London accept funded hours. However, there are two important exceptions to check:

ISI-registered settings. Some bilingual nurseries operate as independent schools and are inspected by the Independent Schools Inspectorate (ISI) rather than Ofsted. These settings are not always registered to deliver funded childcare. Ask directly before assuming your funded hours will be accepted.

Top-up charges. Nurseries are permitted to charge for meals, consumables, and optional extras on top of funded hours — they cannot charge a top-up purely because their fees exceed the government reimbursement rate. In practice, many nurseries charge for lunch and snacks, which means your funded hours will not reduce your bill to zero. Ask for a written breakdown of what is and is not included in the funded hours before you commit to a place.

Tax-Free Childcare

Tax-Free Childcare is a separate scheme that works alongside funded hours rather than instead of them. For every 80p you pay into a government-backed online childcare account, the government adds 20p — effectively a 25% top-up on what you contribute, up to a government maximum of £2,000 per child per year (£4,000 for a disabled child).

To receive the maximum government contribution of £2,000, you need to pay in £8,000 of your own money. Tax-Free Childcare can be used to pay the fees you owe after funded hours are deducted — it applies to the balance, not to the funded portion.

The same eligibility rules apply as for the extended funded entitlements: both parents must be working and earning above the minimum threshold, and neither can earn above £100,000. You apply through the Childcare Choices portal — the same portal you use for funded hours codes.

Employer childcare support

Some employers offer childcare benefits as part of a salary sacrifice or flexible benefits package. If your employer offers a childcare voucher scheme that pre-dates October 2018, you may still be enrolled — though this scheme is closed to new entrants and has been superseded by Tax-Free Childcare. Check with your HR team whether any employer-provided childcare support is available to you, and whether it can be used alongside Tax-Free Childcare (in most cases it cannot).

Making the most of the support available

A few practical points that parents often overlook:

  • Stack what you can. Funded hours and Tax-Free Childcare can be used simultaneously. Funded hours reduce your bill; Tax-Free Childcare tops up the amount you then pay.
  • Check the reimbursement rate in your borough. Local authorities pay nurseries a per-hour rate for funded places, and this rate varies by borough. A nursery with higher fees than the borough reimbursement rate will pass some of that gap to you through additional charges — ask the nursery what their funded hours rate covers in practice.
  • Ask about sibling discounts. Many nurseries offer a reduction for a second or subsequent child. This is worth asking about even if it is not advertised.
  • Confirm session flexibility. If you do not need full-time care, a nursery offering flexible part-time sessions may allow you to make better use of your funded hours without paying for days you do not need.

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