Free education and childcare for 2-year-olds

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.

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

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.