Funded Early Learning and Childcare in Scotland: 1,140 Hours, Start Dates and Two-Year-Old Places (Scotland)

Families in Scotland have a different childcare offer from the rest of the UK, and it starts earlier for some children. Funded early learning and childcare (ELC) is free to parents and is delivered by councils, private nurseries, playgroups and childminders. This guide explains, for Scotland only, who qualifies for the hours, when a child can start and how the offer differs from the English 30-hours scheme covered in the site’s guide to 30 hours free childcare in England. It is general information; the local council confirms details in each area.

What Scotland offers

According to mygov.scot, 3 to 5 year olds can get up to 1,140 hours of funded early learning and childcare a year. The page says that this is around 22 hours a week if used all year, or 30 hours a week if used only during school term time, and that funded ELC is free to parents. The Scottish Government explains that since August 2021 all local authorities have been offering 1,140 hours to all eligible children, and describes Scotland as the only part of the UK to offer 1,140 hours a year of funded ELC to all 3 and 4 year olds and eligible 2 year olds, regardless of their parents’ working status.

When a child can start

Mygov.scot says the start date depends on where you live and the type of childcare, and that many local council nurseries have children start at the beginning of a school term. For a local council nursery, the pattern for a child turning 3 is:

• birthday between 1 March and 31 August: start in August (autumn term);
• birthday between 1 September and 31 December: start in January (spring term); and
• birthday between 1 January and 28 or 29 February: start in March or April (summer term).

The page advises contacting the local council if unsure. If a child is 4 years old on the day they are due to start primary school, mygov.scot says the family can defer entry and keep getting funded early learning and childcare while deferring.

Some two year olds qualify

Mygov.scot says a 2 year old may get funded ELC if the parent gets certain benefits, or if the parent or child has experience of care. The listed routes are:

• Universal Credit: if the household gets Universal Credit and works, monthly household take-home pay must be £885 or less. Take-home pay means pay after tax, National Insurance and pension contributions, and it can be found on the monthly Universal Credit statement.
• Other benefits: Income Support, income-based Jobseeker’s Allowance, income-related Employment and Support Allowance, Incapacity Benefit, Severe Disablement Allowance, State Pension Credit, or support under part VI of the Immigration and Asylum Act 1999.
• Experience of care: the parent or child has been looked after by a local council or by a kinship carer or guardian, such as a family member or a close friend.

Mygov.scot adds that a local council may offer funded ELC to people who do not meet these criteria, so it is worth asking. The Scottish Government estimated that the uptake rate for eligible 2 year olds was 52% in 2023, compared with an estimated 97% of eligible 3 and 4 year olds accessing funded ELC, based on September 2023 census data.

How to get a place

Mygov.scot says local councils offer funded ELC and also work with private nurseries and childminders who provide it. The page invites parents to choose their council from a list and follow that council’s application process. The Scottish Government points parents to mygov.scot and the Parent Club website for information, and to the local authority’s ELC team for anyone wanting to become a funded provider.

How this differs from England and elsewhere

Mygov.scot warns that there are different childcare schemes in England, Wales and Northern Ireland. In England, the 30-hours and 15-hours offers depend on parents’ working status and children’s ages, as explained in the site’s guide to 30 hours free childcare in England. Families who move between nations should check the scheme where they will live. Scottish families paying for hours beyond the funded entitlement can also look at Tax-Free Childcare, which is a UK-wide scheme.

Practical planning

• Note your child’s birthday and work out the start term for a local council nursery.
• Contact the council early, since places can depend on the term.
• If using a private nursery or childminder, ask whether they are a funded provider and how many hours they offer.
• Keep Universal Credit statements to hand if applying for a 2 year old place.
• Compare options using the guide to choosing childcare for a baby, which is written for England but covers the types of provider.

Frequently asked questions

Do both parents have to work? No. The Scottish Government says the 1,140 hours are offered regardless of parents’ working status, although 2 year old places have their own criteria.

Is it really free? Mygov.scot says funded early learning and childcare is free to parents.

Can I defer my child’s school start? Mygov.scot says a child who is 4 on the day they are due to start primary school can be deferred and keep the funded hours.

The bottom line

Scotland funds up to 1,140 hours a year of early learning and childcare for 3 and 4 year olds and some 2 year olds, free to parents and regardless of working status for 3 and 4 year olds. Start dates follow the child’s birthday at council nurseries, and 2 year old places depend on benefits or experience of care.

Sources

• mygov.scot, "Funded early learning and childcare for 3 to 5 year olds" (last updated 1 April 2026)
• mygov.scot, "Funded early learning and childcare for 2 year olds" (last updated 1 April 2026)
• Scottish Government, "Funded early learning and childcare"