Funded Childcare

Funded childcare for 2 year olds

Eligible working parents of 2-year-old children can access 15 hours funded childcare the term after their child turns 2 (this will extend to 30 hours from September 2025).  

Funded childcare for 2-year-olds is available to eligible parents or families who get any of these benefits:

• 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
• child 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 funded childcare if they:

• are looked after by a local authority
• have a Education, Health & Care Plan
• get Disability Allowance 
• have left care under a special guardianship order, child arrangements order or adoption order

In addition to this criteria, they will also consider applications for children where the council has received a Section 23 notification from Health.

Funding Childcare for 3 to 4 year olds

All 3 and 4-year-olds can get 15 hours of funded early learning a week until they go into Reception class or reach compulsory school age (the term following their fifth birthday). You don’t have to apply for the 15 hours funded childcare as the chosen childcare provider will do it for you.

In addition to the 15 hours free childcare, some working families will be eligible for a further 15 hours free childcare. Entitlement to this 30 hours is means tested and you can complete the step by step guide to check of you are eligible.