Anyone else mildly frustrated by having to wait until the term after 9 months to get free childcare hours?

I know I shouldn't complain because at least these babies will get more funded hours than most older kids did at their age, but my maternity pay was only from August to May (I started my leave on my daughter's birthday) and my baby doesn't get funding until September, when she's already 1.

Just got our nursery invoices. My 2.5 year old is full time for roughly 1100 monthly. He's attending for 23 days this month. My daughter is part time, attending for 11 days this month, and will cost 1150. She will be cheaper when she's full time in September.

I'm very lucky that my husband and I can afford for me to go back to work part time now so both myself and our daughter can ease into a new routine before September. I don't know what other mothers are doing in this situation where they can't afford unpaid maternity leave, but also make less than the cost of full-time nursery. Just seems like a big flaw.