Your 2-year-old can get free childcare if you live in England, and you 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)
2-year-olds can also get free childcare 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
You may have to pay for extra costs like meals, nappies or trips.
If your immigration status says you have ‘no recourse to public funds’, you may still
get free childcare for your 2-year-old. See here for details: Help paying for childcare:
Free education and childcare for 2-year-olds - GOV.UK (www.gov.uk)
For further details and to apply
The free offer starts the term after your child is 2. To find out more visit Free
Early Years Education (EYE) funding for eligible 2 year olds | Children and Families
| Hampshire County Council (hants.gov.uk) or speak to your childcare provider.
Services for Young Children
If your child is in early years education, your early years provider could be eligible
for extra funding to help support your child
Early years pupil premium
Your child’s early years education provider could get up to £342 per year to help
with your child’s education. This will be paid direct to your provider.
Who can apply
You can apply for early years pupil premium if your child is aged 3 or 4 and you
get 15 hours free childcare.
You must also get at least one of the following:
- Income Support
- income-based Jobseeker’s Allowance
- income-related Employment and Support Allowance
- support under part six of the Immigration and Asylum Act 1999
- the guaranteed element of State Pension Credit
- Child Tax Credit (provided you are not also entitled to Working Tax Credit) and
have an annual gross income of no more than £16,190
- Working Tax Credit run-on, which is paid for 4 weeks after you stop qualifying for
Working Tax Credit
- Universal Credit - your household income must be less than £7,400 a year after tax
not including any benefits you get
You may also get early years pupil premium if your child is currently being looked
after by a local authority in England or Wales or if your child has left care in
England or Wales through:
- adoption
- special guardianship order
- a child arrangements order
How to apply
To apply for early years pupil premium speak to your childcare provider or contact
Services for Young Children.
Disability access fund
Your child’s early years provider could get £800 or more per year to help with their
education and support. This will be paid direct to your early years provider.
Who can apply
You can apply to get disability access funding if your child is aged 3 or 4 and you’re
receiving both:
- 15 hours free childcare - you do not need to use all of your hours to be eligible
- Disability living allowance for children
How to apply
To apply for disability access funding speak to your childcare provider or contact
Services for Young Children.
