Government Funded Places

GOVERNMENT FUNDED PLACES

All 3 to 4-year-olds in England can get 570 hours of free early education or childcare per year. It’s usually taken as 15 hours a week for 38 weeks of the year.

Some 2-year-olds are also eligible.

When you can start claiming

The date you can start claiming depends on your child’s birthday.

Child’s birthday When you can claim
1 January to 31 March The beginning of term on or after 1 April
1 April to 31 August The beginning of term on or after 1 September
1 September to 31 December The beginning of term on or after 1 January

An Extra 15 hours publicly funded childcare is available to those parents of 3 and 4 year olds who meet the following eligibility requirements:

Eligibility rules for additional 15 hours of funded childcare:

  • Both parents must be working – or the sole parent is working in a lone parent family.
  • Each parent earns, on average, a weekly minimum equivalent to16 hours at National Minimum Wage or National Living Wage.
  • Each parent must have an annual income of less than £100,000.
  • There may be additional help if there is a disabled child or adult carer

For more information on the additional 15 hours publicly funded childcare, please discuss with the Nursery Manager.

Eligibility for 2-year-olds

Your 2-year-old can get free early education and childcare if you get one of the following:

  • Income Support
  • income-based Jobseeker’s Allowance (JSA)
  • income-related Employment and Support Allowance (ESA)
  • Universal Credit
  • tax credits and you have an annual income of under £16,190 before tax
  • the guaranteed element of State Pension Credit
  • support through part 6 of the Immigration and Asylum Act
  • the Working Tax Credit 4-week run on (the payment you get when you stop qualifying for Working Tax Credit)

A child can also get free early education and childcare if any of the following apply:

  • they’re looked after by a local council
  • they have a current statement of special education needs (SEN) or an education, health and care (EHC) plan
  • they get Disability Living Allowance
  • they’ve left care under a special guardianship order, child arrangements order or adoption order