Your 2-year-old child may be entitled to a free childcare place for 15 hours a week during school term time if you live in England and get one of the following benefits:
- Income Support
- Employment & Support Allowance (Income related)
- Income Based Job Seekers Allowance
- Guarantee element of State Pension Credit
- Child Tax Credit – annual income is no more than £16,190 a year
- Working Tax Credit – annual income is no more than £16,190 a year
- Universal Credit - if you and your partner have a combined income from work of £15,400 or less a year, after tax
- Support under Part VI of the Immigration and Asylum Act 1999
From September 2019 the eligiblity criteria has been extended to include the following groups:
- Children of Zambrano Carers;
- Children of families with no recourse to public funds with a right to remain in the UK on grounds of private and family life under Article 8 of the European Convention on Human Rights;
- Children of a subset of failed asylum seekers (supported under section 4 of the Immigration and Asylum Act 1999 – ‘the 1999 Act’).
A child can also get free early education and childcare if any of the following apply:
- Child has a current statement of special educational need (SEN) or an education, health and care plan
- Child attracts Disability Living Allowance (DLA)
- Child is looked after by the Local Authority
- Child has left care through special guardianship or through an adoption or residence order
If you’re eligible the childcare starts the first school term after your child's 2nd birthday.
The date of birth criteria are as follows:
• Children born in the period 1st January to 31st March: the start of term beginning on or following 1st April after the child’s second birthday;
• Children born in the period 1st April to 31st August: the start of term beginning on or following 1st September after the child’s second birthday;
• Children born in the period 1st September to 31st December: the start of term beginning on or following 1st January after the child’s second birthday.
Please visit the Citizen Portal page to make your application.
If you have any questions regarding your application, please contact our Early Years Engagement Worker on Tel: 01642 527225