Apply for funded childcare for your 2-year-old
Eligibility for funded childcare for 2-year-olds
Your 2-year-old will be eligible for funded childcare if you get one or more of these 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
- child tax credits, and your household income is £16,190 a year or less before tax
- the guaranteed element of Pension Credit
- the Working Tax Credit 4-week run on (the payment you get when you stop qualifying for Working Tax Credit)
or your child:
- is looked after by a local council
- has an Education, Health and Care Plan (EHCP)
- gets 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 you’re a non-UK citizen who cannot claim benefits
If your immigration status says you have 'no recourse to public funds', you may still get free childcare for your 2-year-old. You must live in England and your household income must be no more than:
- £26,500 for families outside of London with one child
- £34,500 for families within London with one child
- £30.600 for families outside of London with two or more children
- £36,800 for families within London with two or more children
You cannot have more than £16,000 in savings or investments.
You don't need to reapply each term once you've been found eligible, even if your situation changes.