Free childcare in Croydon
Council links and deadlines for funded hours in Croydon, checked against the council’s own website.
- Working parents (from 9 months)
- Apply on GOV.UK for an 11-digit code and give it to your provider; re-confirm every 3 months. Apply on GOV.UK
- 2-year-olds with extra support
- Apply through the council. The council page explains who to contact; no separate online form was found. Apply
- All 3 and 4-year-olds (15 hours)
- No application to the council: speak to your chosen provider.
Family Space Croydon
The council page is short: it points to Family Space Croydon and the Best Start in Life site for funded-hours information and applications.
Checked against the council website on 22 October 2026.
Frequently asked questions
How do I apply for free childcare in Croydon?
Funded hours for working parents are applied for through the government’s Childcare Service, which gives you a code to take to your provider. The universal 15 hours for 3 and 4-year-olds needs no code: ask your provider. Your provider then claims the funding from Croydon council. Croydon council explains its own process on its website.
Which settings in Croydon offer funded places?
Many of the 218 settings we list in Croydon offer funded hours, but not all, and some limit the number of funded places. Ask each setting directly.
