Government funded early education and childcare in Wales is not classed as a public fund for immigration purposes. It can be accessed by a child regardless of immigration status, including where a parent is subject to the no recourse to public funds (NRPF) condition.
The following support is available:
Some 2 and 3 year olds can access funded childcare through the Flying Start scheme. This provides up to 12.5 hours per week of free childcare per week for 39 weeks of the year. This is usually taken as 2.5 hours a day over 5 days.
Flying Start is targeted at families in certain areas and eligibility depends on where a family lives. The scheme also offers support with:
Families should contact their local authority to check whether they are eligible.
All 3 and 4 year olds are entitled to at least 10 hours of free early education each week.
Some families may also qualify for the Childcare Offer for Wales, which provides up to 30 hours per week of combined early education and childcare. The 30 hours is made up of:
If a child is in full-time school education, the childcare element is usually only available during school holidays.
To qualify for the additional childcare hours, each parent must usually:
Applications for the Childcare Offer must be made through the local authority. Further information and an eligibility checker are available on the Welsh Government website.
Working parents in Wales may be eligible for tax free childcare, subject to meeting the relevant requirements. See our page on tax-free childcare for further information.
Page updated: 15 June 2026
