CHILDCARE FUNDING
Childcare Support Funding expansion will be introduced from September 2025. Funding will be available from 9 month old.
9+ MONTH OLD: 15 HOURS EARLY EDUCATION AND CHILDCARE FOR WORKING FAMILIES:
If you are working, your child may be able to access 15 hours childcare support.
To be eligible, you, and any partner, must each expect to earn (on average) at least £167 per week (equal to 16 hours at the National Minimum or Living Wage).
Applications are open for eligible working parents whose children will be aged at least 9+ months old on or before 1st April 2025. You can claim your place the term after your child turns the relevant age.
You can’t get either 15 hours free childcare if you, or your partner, each individually expect to earn £100,000 adjusted net income or more.
Parents who plan to start or return to work on or before 1st February to 30th April 2025 can apply for a code from 1st January to 31st March 2025. If you plan to apply for childcare to start on 1st April 2025, it’s recommended that you reach out to your preferred provider as soon as possible to check when they will need your code.
When you apply, you’ll receive a code to give to your childcare provider. It’s important to remember that codes need to be renewed every three months. To do this, you’ll need to remember to login to your childcare account to check when your reconfirmation dates are, so that you can renew your code on time. If you don’t renew it on time, you will need to reapply.
Visit childcarechoices.gov.uk for further information.
2 YEAR OLDS FROM FAMILIES RECEIVING ADDITIONAL SUPPORT (15 HOUR FUNDING)
Your 2-year-old can get funded early learning if you live in England and get 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)
Your benefits will not be affected if you take up the 15 hours early learning offer.
2-year-olds can also get funded childcare if they:
A child will also qualify for an early education and childcare place, if any of the following apply:
They are looked after by a local council
They have a current statement of special education needs (SEN) or an education, health and care (EHC) plan
They get Disability Living Allowance
They have left care under a special guardianship order, child arrangements order or adoption order
They are children of Zambrano carers
They are children of families with no recourse to public funds with a right to remain in the UK on grounds of private/family life under Article 8 of the European Convention on Human Rights and have a household income below £34,500 if they have one child, or £38,600
Families must be in receipt of a qualifying benefit to access free early learning and childcare as listed below
Eligibility
The parent(s) claim one of the following benefits:
Income support
Income-based Jobseeker’s Allowance (JSA)
Income-related Employment and Support Allowance (ESA)
Universal Credit – if you and your partner have a combined income from work of £15,400 a year or less after tax
Tax credits and have an annual income of £16,190 or less a year before tax
The guaranteed element of State Pension Credit
Support through part 6 of the Immigration and Asylum Act
Working Tax Credit 4-week run on (the payment you get when you stop qualifying for Working Tax Credit)
Special criteria will apply to some children as listed below:
With an Education, Health and Care (EHC) plan
In receipt of Disability Living Allowance (DLA)
Looked after by a Local Authority
Have left care through an adoption, residence order, a special guardianship order or a child arrangements order
Applying for 2 year old early education and childcaref they have two or more children.
They are children of a subset of failed asylum seekers (supported under section 4 of the Immigration and Asylum Act 1999 – ‘the 1999 Act’
3 AND 4 YEAR OLD EARLY EDUCATION AND CHILDCARE (15 and 30 hour offers)
All 3 and 4 year olds are eligible for 15 hours of early education and childcare.
Working parents may also be eligible for an extended 15 hours of childcare called 30 Hours Childcare, offering 30 hours a week during term time or around 22 hours a week over a full year . Check what help you could get with childcare costs, and which support might be best for you, using the childcare calculator.
To apply and for further information go to www.childcarechoices.gov.uk
The Universal offer – up to 15 hours a week during term time or a maximum of 11 hours a week throughout the year of early education and childcare for 3 and 4 year olds.
Parents of all 3 and 4 year olds are eligible for the universal 15 hour offer and do not need to make an application.
Children become eligible for funding as below:
Child’s birthday
When your child can start early education funding
1 January to 31 March
The beginning of Summer term on or after 1 April
1 April to 31 August
The beginning of Autumn term on or after 1 September
1 September to 31 December
The beginning of Spring term on or after 1 January
30 HOURS FOR 3 AND FOUR YEAR OLDS (WORKING FAMILIES)
The Extended offer – up to 30 hours a week during term time or a maximum of 22 hours a week throughout the year of early education and childcare for working families of 3 and 4 year olds.
Parents can begin accessing up to 30 hours childcare, from the start of the next term after they receive their eligibility code. Parents are therefore advised to check the earliest date they can apply as soon as possible with their chosen childcare provider.
Families will be eligible if:
Both parents are working (or the sole parent is working in a lone parent family)
Each parent earns on average a weekly minimum equivalent to 16 hours at the National Minimum Wage (NMW) or the National Living Wage (NLW)
Each parent earns less than £100,000 per year.
Families will remain eligible if:
One parent is working and the other has a disability or substantial caring responsibilities.
A parent is away from work temporarily (sick leave or maternity/adoption leave).
A grace period has been put in place by government to assist parents whose employment circumstances change.
Parents will not be eligible for up to 30 hours childcare if the parent is a non-EEA national and subject to immigration control (and has no recourse to public funds).
Families will be eligible if:
Both parents are working (or the sole parent is working in a lone parent family)
Each parent earns on average a weekly minimum equivalent to 16 hours at the National Minimum Wage (NMW) or the National Living Wage (NLW)
Each parent earns less than £100,000 per year.
Families will remain eligible if:
One parent is working and the other has a disability or substantial caring responsibilities.
A parent is away from work temporarily (sick leave or maternity/adoption leave).
A grace period has been put in place by government to assist parents whose employment circumstances change.
Parents will not be eligible for up to 30 hours childcare if the parent is a non-EEA national and subject to immigration control (and has no recourse to public funds).
For more information on eligibility go to:
www.childcarechoices.gov.uk
www.havering.gov.uk
or contact our Manager who will be happy to assist you.
