Early education and childcare

15 hours/week for disadvantaged 2-year-olds

15 hours a week of free childcare will be available to a 2-year-old child when their family receives certain benefits or the child has additional needs.

15 hours a week of free childcare will be available to a 2-year-old child in a household with no recourse to public funds when:

• The child has additional needs
• The family receives Home Office asylum support
• Their family has no recourse to public funds and a low income

Families in receipt of benefits

A 2-year-old child will be entitled to 15 hours free childcare when their parent is claiming one of the following benefits:

• Income Support
• Income-based Jobseeker's Allowance
• Income-related Employment and Support Allowance
• Universal Credit (the family's annual income after tax must not exceed £15,400)
• Tax Credits (the family's annual income before tax must be under £16,190)
• Guaranteed element of State Pension Credit
• Working Tax Credit four-week run on payment 

Children with additional needs

A 2-year-old child will be entitled to 15 hours free childcare if they:

• Have an Education, Health and Care (EHC) plan 
• Are receiving Disability Living Allowance 
• Are looked after by a local authority 
• Left local authority care as a result of an adoption order, a special guardianship order, or a child arrangements order

A 2-year-old child will qualify for 15 hours a week of free childcare on this basis regardless of their or their parent/guardian's immigration status.

Families receiving Home Office asylum support

A 2-year-old child will be entitled to 15 hours free childcare when the family are receiving Home Office asylum support provided under part 6 of the Immigration and Asylum Act 1999. This includes section 95 and section 98 asylum support.

Families with no recourse to public funds

15 hours free childcare for a 2-year-old can be accessed by all families with no recourse to public funds, subject to meeting an income threshold when this applies. 

Groups that have no recourse to public funds include families with:

• Leave to remain that has a 'No Recourse to Public Funds' condition
• No lawful status in the UK
• Section 4 Home Office asylum support
• Pre-settled status who are unable to meet benefit right to reside rules

Where the parent(s) are able to work, they must also meet an income threshold.

The family must have a household income of no more than:

• £26,500 for families outside of London with 1 child
• £30,600 for families outside of London with 2 or more children
• £34,500 for families within London with 1 child
• £38,600 for families within London with 2 or more children

Families cannot have more than £16,000 in savings or investments.

More information and how to apply

For more details, families can refer to the government information about free early education and childcare for 2-year-olds and information about how to apply for childcare. 

Councils will need to refer to the Department for Education Early education and childcare statutory guidance.

For families with no recourse to public funds, councils will need to refer to the government guidance on free early education for 2-year-olds from families with no recourse to public funds and application form, which can be used or adapted by the council for families to complete in order to confirm their eligibility.