Childcare Funding

2 Year Old Funding

We offer free childcare to eligible 2-year-old children. The funding can start from the term after their 2nd Birthday. The eligible children must reside in England and meet one of the following criteria:

• Income Support

• income-based Jobseeker’s Allowance (JSA)

• income-related Employment and Support Allowance (ESA)

• Universal Credit, and your household income is £15,400 a year or less after tax, not including benefit payments

• tax credits, and your household income is £16,190 a year or less before tax

• the guaranteed element of Pension Credit

• the Working Tax Credit 4-week run on (the payment you get when you stop qualifying for Working Tax Credit)

2-year-olds can also get free childcare if they:

• are looked after by a local authority

• have a statement of special education needs (SEN) or an education, health and care (EHC) plan

• get Disability Living Allowance

• have left care under an adoption order, special guardianship order or a child arrangements order

You may have to pay for extra costs like meals, nappies or trips.

15 Universal Hours

The free entitlement for eligible 2 year olds and all 3 and 4 year olds is at the heart of the Government’s vision.

All 3 to 4-year-olds in England can get 570 free hours per year. It’s usually taken as 15 hours a week for 38 weeks of the year, but you can choose to take fewer hours over more weeks, for example.