HUNDREDS of thousands of families are missing out on free childcare, so we've rounded-up everything you need to know to ensure your little'uns don't lose out.

Under the Government's scheme, working parents can get up to 30 hours free childcare a week - or 1,140 hours per year - if their child is three or four years old.

To qualify, parents need to be earning at least a minimum of the national minimum wage or living wage for 16 hours a week and less than a total of £100,000.

But new research has found that only half of the 600,000 families in England the Government said would be eligible have actually benefited.

As of September 2018, just 340,000 children had used the scheme.

Insurer Royal London points the blame at the Government for not giving local authorities enough cash to fund the scheme - but it could also be that parents simply don't know they're eligible.

But while the scheme is supposed to help parents manage childcare costs, thousands of nurseries say they've had to raise their fees to provide the scheme and others have limited places or introduced additional paid-for extras.

Becky O’Connor, personal finance specialist at Royal London, said: “Childcare costs are an enormous strain on working parents and this policy was designed to address that.

"But inadequate government funding means childcare providers can’t afford to offer the extra hours. It is shocking that an initiative designed to benefit 600,000 families is reaching barely half of those who it was designed to help.

“By underfunding this policy, the Government could ironically end up reducing access to affordable childcare for all parents.”

Children and families minister Nadhim Zahawi said: “The figures presented are wholly misleading.

"In the first year of delivery, over 340,000 children benefited from a place, meaning parents are spending less on childcare and are able to increase their work hours or are working more flexibly.

"We want as many families as possible to have advantage of 30 hours free childcare - so for those parents who think they would benefit, do apply.

“Next year Government spending on childcare support will be its highest ever - around £6billion.

"This support will make childcare more affordable and more accessible and includes around £3.5billion on all the free early education entitlements on offer – to make sure as many children as possible have access to high-quality care.”