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Early Years Funded Sessions

 

What is my family eligible for?

Eligibility for the different funded early education and childcare schemes normally depends on two things:

  • the age of your child

  • your working status or income
     

Under-twos

  • All eligible working parents of children aged nine months up to three-years-old are able to access funding for 15 hours per week of education and care for 38 weeks of the year.


Two-year-olds

All eligible working parents of two-year-olds are able to access funding for 15 hours per week of education and care for 38 weeks of the year, increasing to 30 hours from September 2025.

Families with children aged two are currently eligible for 15 hours per week of funded care and education (for 38 weeks of the year) if they receive 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)

A child may also be eligible if they:

  • are looked after by a local authority

  • have an education, health and care (EHC) plan

  • get Disability Living Allowance

  • have left care under an adoption order, special guardianship order or a child arrangements order

 

 

Three- and four-year-olds

Currently, all three- and four-year-olds can access 15 hours per week of funded care and education for 38 weeks of the year, regardless of the income or working status of their parent or carer. This is often described as a ‘universal offer’.

In addition, eligible working families of three- and four-year-olds can currently access 30 hours a week of funded care and education for 38 weeks of the year.

 

Child’s birthday                         When you can claim

1 January to 31 March                   the beginning of term on or after 1 April

1 April to 31 August                     the beginning of term on or after 1 September

1 September to 31 December        the beginning of term on or after 1 January

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