There are a range of funded early education and childcare schemes available for parents and carers in England
Below we answer some of the most common questions on the various offers, including how to sign up for them.
What is my family eligible for?
Eligibility for the different funded early education and childcare schemes normally depends on two things:
- the age of your child
- your working status or income
Under-twos
Families with children aged between nine months and two-years-olds aren’t currently eligible for any funded hours. However, the government has announced that:
- from September 2024, all eligible working parents of children aged nine months up to three-years-old will be able to access funding for 15 hours per week of education and care for 38 weeks of the year.
- from September 2025, all eligible working parents of children aged nine months up to three-years-old will be able to access funding for 30 hours per week of education and care for 38 weeks of the year.
Two-year-olds
Families with children aged two are currently eligible for 15 hours per week of funded care and education (for 38 weeks of the year) if they receive any of the following 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
- the guaranteed element of Pension Credit
- Child Tax Credit, Working Tax Credit (or both), and your household income is £16,190 a year or less before tax
- the Working Tax Credit 4-week run on (the payment you get when you stop qualifying for Working Tax Credit)
A child may also be eligible if they:
- are looked after by a local authority
- have 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
In addition, the government has announced that:
- from April 2024, all eligible working parents of two-year-olds will be able to access funding for 15 hours per week of education and care for 38 weeks of the year.
- from September 2025, all eligible working parents of children aged nine months up to three-years-old will able to access funding for 30 hours per week of education and care for 38 weeks of the year .
Three- and four-year-olds
Currently, all three- and four-year-olds can access 15 hours per week of funded care and education for 38 weeks of the year, regardless of the income or working status of their parent or carer. This is often described as a ‘universal offer’.
In addition, eligible working families of three- and four-year-olds can currently access 30 hours a week of funded care and education for 38 weeks of the year.
The government is not currently proposing any changes to the funded entitlements for three- and four-year-olds.
Only places taken up at approved early education and childcare providers (https://www.gov.uk/help-with-childcare-costs) are eligible for government funded hours.
For more details about the following topics read more here
- What does the government mean by ‘eligible working families’?
- What if I am sick or caring for someone?
- How do I sign up for the 30 hours?
- How soon after my child’s birthday can I access these schemes?
- If I’m not eligible for the 30-hour offer, can I still get my 15 hours?
- What happens if I become ineligible for the offer e.g. because I lose my job?
- I want to access a funded place but my provider is asking for a deposit. Can they do this?
- Accessing funded places –Things to know
- Tax free childcare – Childcare Choices website.
