Funded childcare in Merton
Families in Merton get the same national entitlements as the rest of England: 30 hours a week for working parents from 9 months, 15 hours for every 3 and 4-year-old, and 15 hours for 2-year-olds in families on certain benefits, each for 38 weeks a year. Of the 27 nurseries in Merton whose funding we know, 26 say they offer 30 funded hours.
Last checked November 2026
Nurseries accepting each scheme
| Scheme | Say yes |
|---|---|
| Funded hours from 9 monthswe know for 19 of 80 nurseries | 19 of 19 |
| Funded places for 2-year-oldswe know for 22 of 80 nurseries | 21 of 22 |
| 15 funded hours (3 and 4-year-olds)we know for 32 of 80 nurseries | 32 of 32 |
| 30 funded hourswe know for 27 of 80 nurseries | 26 of 27 |
| Tax-Free Childcare acceptedwe know for 14 of 80 nurseries | 14 of 14 |
Council funding rates
We don't have Merton's funding rates yet. They are what the council pays nurseries for each funded hour, and can explain why some nurseries charge for extras. Your council publishes them: find your council on gov.uk.
How to apply
- Working parents (9 months to 4 years)Apply to HMRC from 23 weeks old for an 11-digit code, give it to the nursery, and reconfirm every 3 months.
- Eligible 2-year-oldsApply to your council, usually through its early years team or Family Information Service.
- All 3 and 4-year-oldsNo application: tell the nursery and it claims the hours from the council, from the term after the 3rd birthday.
Extras charged on funded hours
3 nurseries in Merton publish a charge on funded hours (meals, consumables or “enhanced” sessions). The median is £0.52 an hour.
Next steps
Questions parents ask about Merton
How do I get funded childcare in Merton?
For the working-parent hours, apply to HMRC for a code and give it to your nursery. For 2-year-old places for families on benefits, apply to your council. The universal 3 and 4-year-old hours need no application.
Which nurseries in Merton offer 30 funded hours?
Of the 27 nurseries in Merton whose funding we know, 26 say they offer 30 funded hours. Use the filter on our Merton page to see them.
Can nurseries charge extra on funded hours?
They can charge for optional extras such as meals, nappies and trips, but must offer an alternative, for example bringing your own food, and cannot make extras a condition of the funded place. If a nursery insists, speak to your council.
How we work this out
- Counts come from what each nursery says on its website or listing, or tells us directly. A nursery we have no information for is not counted as “no”.
- Council funding rates are what councils pay nurseries per funded hour; we show them only when the council has published its figure.
Free Childcare for Working Parents, checked 11 November 2026
15 hours for eligible 2-year-olds, checked 11 November 2026
15 hours for 3 and 4-year-olds, checked 11 November 2026