After you apply

If you met the criteria to apply for an eligibility check via our website you will get a letter or email confirming your eligibility. You will need this to book a place with your chosen nursery or childminder.

If you are a working parent and applied for your 2-year-old's childcare entitlement code on the Childcare Choices website, give the code to your provider(s) along with your National Insurance number and your child's date of birth. You need to check your details are up to date regularly (and before the expiry date) on the Childcare Choices website, or your code will expire.

Birth certificates

The provider will need a copy of your child's birth certificate to confirm your child's date of birth and ensure that they are of an eligible age to access a funded place.

The Parental Agreement

Once you have agreed your hours or sessions for your child you should be asked to sign a Parental Agreement with your nursery or childminder.

This provides you and the provider with a document which clearly shows the agreed hours or sessions that your child should attend. This helps to protect everyone if there is a dispute, particularly one that involves money (in rare circumstances the provider may ask you to pay for any hours that your child has mistakenly received from them).