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If you are living in England and:

• your child is in receipt of Disability Living Allowance (DLA)

or if you are in receipt of one of the following benefits:

• Income Support
• Income-based Jobseeker’s Allowance (JSA)
• Income-related Employment and Support Allowance (ESA)
• Universal Credit and household earnings are no more than £15,400 per year
• the guaranteed element of State Pension Credit
• Child Tax Credits, with an annual household income of no more than £16,190
• Working Tax Credits, with an annual household income of no more than £16,190
• Working Tax Credit 4-week run on (paid for 4 weeks after a family stops qualifying for Working Tax Credits)
• support through part 6 of the Immigration and Asylum Act and you have a NASS number

Please note that you are not eligible if you claim working tax credits and child tax credits at the same time.

If you receive one of the benefits listed above your child may be eligible and you can apply for the funding. 

See below for more information about how you can use your 2 year old funding hours.

Children are also entitled to a funded place if:

• they are looked after
• they have a current Education, Health and Care Plan (EHCP)
• they have left care under a Special Guardianship Order, Child Arrangements Order or Adoption Order

If your child meets one of the criteria above, please go to apply via post.

Non-EEA citizens who cannot claim benefits criteria

Children are also entitled to a funded place if:

• their parent’s immigration status includes the condition of “No Recourse to Public Funds" and
• their household income is less than £26,500 with 1 child or £30,600 with 2 or more children

Families will need to evidence their immigration status and income when applying.

If you meet the criteria above, please download an application for two-year-old funding to apply via post:

Two-year-old funding application form (PDF)

Eligible children can receive up to 570 hours of funded early education per year. This can be used in many different ways such as 15 hours per week for 38 weeks of the year, or less hours per week for more than 38 weeks of the year. Your childcare setting will have more information about what they can provide to you.

You can use your hours in the following ways:

• a maximum of two childcare settings in one day
• a maximum of 10 hours in one day
• a maximum of 15 hours over one week
• taken between 6am to 8pm any day of the week

You do not have to take up the full 15 hours. It is important to check when your chosen setting offers funded hours to make sure you can take them at a time which suits you.

The childcare settings must be registered with Ïã¸ÛÁùºÏ²Ê×ÊÁÏͼ¿â County Council to offer funded places and include:

• pre-schools
• day nurseries
• school nurseries
• independent (private) schools
• funded childminders
• wrap around care

If your child attends two registered settings, you must complete a Parent Declaration Form for both settings, which must contain accurate information about the number of hours your child attends at each.

Changing your child's setting

The funded hours are allocated on a termly basis. If you wish to move your child to a different childcare setting, you will need to give notice to your current setting by the end of the 3rd week of term to guarantee a transfer of funding.

If you wish to transfer your child to a different setting after this date, please contact your local Family Hub for support.

Before requesting a change in childcare setting, you should discuss any required notice periods with your child’s current setting. 

If a transfer takes place, the funded hours cannot be used to cover the cost of any notice period.

Holiday and absent periods

If your child is accessing their funded hours over more than 38 weeks (stretched), you should not be charged during the holiday periods unless your child is accessing additional hours or services.

If your child is accessing their funded hours on a ‘term-time only’ basis and you do not wish to access paid for hours over the holidays, your childcare provider may not be able to guarantee your child’s place for the following term. You may be offered the option of paying a retainer to secure the place. This should be discussed with your child’s setting.

You are not able to claim back any funded hours that you child has been unable to attend. This includes illness, holidays, or any other absence. The funded hours will be used to keep your child’s place open until their return.

Lunchtimes 

The funded place can be taken over a lunch break if this is offered by your childcare setting. Your setting may offer a meal at an additional cost, or you may be able to take a packed lunch; this should be discussed with your childcare setting before taking up the place.

Additional hours

You cannot be charged a registration fee if your child only accesses the funded hours. If using additional hours or services, you may be charged a registration fee, this should be discussed with your childcare setting.

If you are booking your child’s place in advance, you may be charged a refundable deposit to secure the place. This must be refunded to you by the end of the first term in which your child accesses funded hours.

Entitlement to benefits

Accessing your child’s free entitlement should not have a negative impact on your financial status, however it may reduce the amount of money you receive towards your childcare costs.