How Do Funded Nursery Hours Work in Wellingborough and Irchester?
Eligible working parents in England can get 15 or 30 hours of funded childcare a week from the term after their child turns 9 months old, right up until they start school. At Pop-Up Nurseries, we accept both the 15 hour and 30 hour entitlements at our Wellingborough and Irchester settings. Funded hours cover childcare itself, but do not usually cover meals, consumables, or trips, so most families still pay something on top. How your funded hours stretch across the year depends on which setting you choose, since Wellingborough is open 51 weeks a year and Irchester operates on a term-time basis.
What Free Childcare Hours Can My Child Get?
There are three funded childcare schemes currently available in England, and eligibility depends on your child's age and your working status.
15 hours for all 3 and 4 year olds. Every 3 and 4 year old in England is entitled to 15 hours of funded childcare a week for 38 weeks a year, regardless of household income. This starts from the term after your child's third birthday.
30 hours for working parents. Working parents can access up to 30 funded hours a week for 38 weeks a year. To qualify, each parent generally needs to earn at least the equivalent of 16 hours a week at the National Minimum or Living Wage, and neither parent can earn more than £100,000 a year in adjusted net income. You need to reconfirm your eligibility every 3 months through the government's Childcare Choices service.
15 hours for eligible 2 year olds. Some 2 year olds from lower-income households or with additional needs can access 15 funded hours a week. Speak to your local council or our nursery team to check whether your child qualifies.
Because eligibility rules and funding rates are reviewed regularly by the Department for Education, it is always worth checking your current entitlement directly through the government's Childcare Choices service before you plan your childcare budget.
Not sure what you're entitled to? Try our Fees and Funding calculator to see an estimate for your family.
How Do Funded Hours Work at Our Irchester Nursery?
Our Irchester nursery, based at Irchester Village Hall, NN29 7AW, moved to a term-time basis from April 2026, operating 38 weeks a year in line with North Northamptonshire school term dates. Main hours are 8am to 4pm, Monday to Friday.
Because Irchester now follows the standard 38 term-time weeks, funded hours are used in a more traditional pattern, without the option to stretch them across school holidays in the way Wellingborough allows. As with Wellingborough, consumables and meal charges apply on top of funded hours, and any additional sessions are charged as private hours.
Wellingborough vs Irchester: How Funding Differs
| Wellingborough | Irchester | |
|---|---|---|
| Weeks open per year | 51 | 38 (term-time only, from April 2026) |
| Ages accepted | 6 months to 5 years | 9 months to 5 years |
| Funding can be stretched | Yes, across the full year | No, used within term time |
| Main hours | 7:30am to 6:00pm | 8:00am to 4:00pm |
What Isn't Covered by Funded Hours?
Funded hours pay for childcare itself, but not everything a nursery day includes. At both our settings, the following are charged separately on top of your funded hours:
A consumables fee for children under 3, covering items such as nappies, wipes, and sun cream
An extra-curricular fee for children aged 3 and over, supporting cooking, science, and phonics sessions
Meals, including snacks, lunch, and tea
Any hours beyond your funded entitlement, charged at our private hourly rate
This is standard across most nurseries in England, not just at Pop-Up, since government funding is designed to cover the cost of early education and care rather than food or additional resources. If you would like exact current figures, our Fees and Funding calculator gives you a live estimate based on your child's age, chosen setting, and session pattern.
How Do I Apply for Funded Childcare Hours?
Check your eligibility using the government's 30 hours or 15 hours guidance on GOV.UK
Apply for your funding code through the Childcare Choices service if you are applying for the working parent entitlement
Reconfirm your eligibility every 3 months, as codes expire if not renewed
Share your eligibility code with our nursery team so we can apply it to your child's place
Apply in good time, ideally before the term you want the funding to start, as places and start dates depend on when your code is confirmed
Can I Use Tax-Free Childcare Alongside Funded Hours?
Yes. We accept Tax-Free Childcare at both settings, which can help cover costs not included in your funded hours, such as consumables, meals, or private hours. For every £8 you pay in, the government adds £2, up to £2,000 a year per child (or £4,000 for a disabled child). Tax-Free Childcare is available for children up to age 11, or 17 if they have a disability. You cannot use Tax-Free Childcare and Working Tax Credits at the same time, so it is worth checking which option suits your family best using the government's childcare calculator.
Want to see your own estimate?
Our Fees and Funding calculator gives you a live estimate based on your setting, sessions, and funded hours.
Try the Fees CalculatorWhich Setting Is Right for Your Family?
If you need childcare that works across the whole year, including school holidays, Wellingborough's 51-week, all-year pattern is likely to suit you better. If you are looking for a smaller, community-feel setting that follows the school calendar, Irchester's term-time pattern may fit more naturally with your routine, particularly if you already have older children at school.
The best way to decide is to see both settings for yourself and ask our team how funding would work for your specific circumstances.
See Funding in Action at Either Setting
Book a showaround at Wellingborough or Irchester and our team will talk you through exactly how your funded hours would work.
Frequently Asked Questions
Funded hours can start from the term after your child turns 9 months old, for eligible working parents. All 3 and 4 year olds get 15 hours regardless of income, from the term after their third birthday.
Funded hours cover childcare itself, but most nurseries, including ours, charge separately for consumables, meals, and any additional hours. It is not usually completely free.
Apply through the government's Childcare Choices service to get your eligibility code, then share this code with our nursery team. You need to reconfirm your eligibility every 3 months.
At our Wellingborough nursery, yes, since we are open 51 weeks a year. At Irchester, funded hours follow the standard 38 term-time weeks, in line with North Northamptonshire school term dates.
Yes, we accept Tax-Free Childcare at both settings, which can help cover costs not included in your funded hours, such as consumables, meals, or private hours.
15 hours is available to all 3 and 4 year olds regardless of income. 30 hours is available to eligible working parents who meet minimum earnings and income threshold requirements, and requires reconfirmation every 3 months.