Check and apply for free childcare hours and free school meals on GOV.UK

GOV.UK is the official hub where parents and carers can check entitlement and apply for government‑funded universal and extended free childcare hours (commonly 15–30 hours for eligible three‑ and four‑year‑olds) and apply for free school meals where children qualify. Eligibility depends on age, income or benefits status and is administered by your local authority or the school; GOV.UK hosts the guidance, eligibility checkers and links to local authority application pages. Visit the GOV.UK homepage to find the right service pages and tools for your area.