Funded early learning and childcare for 2 year olds
Your 2 year old may be able to get funded early learning and childcare if either:
- you get certain benefits
- you or your child have experience of care
Funded early learning and childcare is free to you.
How to get a place
If you qualify, your local council can help you find a place.
Your local council may offer funded early learning and childcare to people who do not meet the criteria on this page.
There are different childcare schemes in England, Wales and Northern Ireland.
Qualifying benefits
Universal Credit
If you get Universal Credit, your 2 year old may be able to get funded early learning and childcare.
Your monthly household take-home pay must be £796 or less.
‘Take-home pay’ is how much money you get after these things are taken from your pay:
- tax
- National Insurance
- pension contributions
Find out your take-home pay in the monthly statement of your Universal Credit account.
Tax credits
If you get tax credits, your 2 year old may be able to get funded early learning and childcare.
If you get Child Tax Credit only, you must earn £19,995 or less.
If you get Child Tax Credit and Working Tax Credit, you must earn £9,552 a year or less.
Other benefits
Your 2 year old can get funded early learning and childcare if you get one of these benefits:
- Income support
- Income-based Job Seeker's Allowance
- Income-related Employment and Support Allowance
- Incapacity Benefit
- Severe Disablement Allowance
- State Pension Credit
- Support under part VI of the Immigration and Asylum Act 1999 (Support for Asylum Seekers)
Experience of care
Your 2 year old can get funded early learning and childcare if you or your child has experience of care.
Experience of care means being looked after by either:
- a local council
- a kinship carer or guardian, like a family member or a close friend
Parent Club advice on childcare
You can get more information about childcare on Parent Club.
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