All 3 to 4-year-olds in England can get 570 hours of free early education or childcare per year. It’s usually taken as 15 hours a week for 38 weeks of the year.

Two-year-old children in receipt of Disability Living Allowance (DLA) and/or an Education Health and Care plan (EHC) are also eligible for the 15 hours entitlement.

Approved providers include childminders, playgroups, pre-schools and day nurseries that are registered and inspected by OFSTED or for childminders registered with a childminding agency. Parents can choose which provider they would like their child to go to, as long as they have places available.

If you are a working parent, you may be able to claim 30 hours.

When you can start claiming

The date you can start claiming depends on your child’s birthday.

Example: Your child was born on 15 February 2018. You can get free childcare when the next term starts after 1 April 2021.

Eligibility

The free early education and childcare must be with an approved childcare provider.

It stops once your child starts reception class in a state school.

Eligibility for 2-year-olds

Your 2-year-old can get free early education and childcare if you get one of the following:

• Income Support
• income-based Jobseeker’s Allowance (JSA)
• income-related Employment and Support Allowance (ESA)
• Universal Credit
• tax credits and you have an annual income of under £16,190 before tax
• the guaranteed element of State Pension Credit
• the Working Tax Credit 4-week run on (the payment you get when you stop qualifying for Working Tax Credit)

Your 2-year-old may also get free childcare if you are getting support under the Immigration and Asylum Act and have either:

• claimed asylum in the UK and are waiting for a decision (known as ‘part 6’)
• been refused asylum in the UK (known as ‘section 4’)

A 2-year-old you care for may also get free childcare if your household income is £15,400 a year or less after tax, and you have any of the following:

• leave to remain with ‘no recourse to public funds’ on family or private life grounds
• support from your local council because you have ‘a child in need’, for example they have a disability or a child protection plan
• the right to live in the UK because you’re the main carer of a British citizen (known as a ‘Zambrano Carer’)

Contact the Early Education Support Team if you’re unsure if you can get free childcare.

A child can also get free early education and childcare if any of the following apply:

• they’re looked after by a local council
• they have a current education, health and care (EHC) plan
• they get Disability Living Allowance
• they’ve left care under a special guardianship order, child arrangements order or adoption order

You do not have to use all of your hours with the same childcare provider, your child is entitled to a total of 15 hours free care a week and you choose where and when you use those hours.