Essex.gov.uk
Help with childcare costs
Free childcare for 2-year-olds
Some 2-year-olds can get up to 15 hours of free early education until the term after their third birthday. After this they may get free childcare for 3 and 4-year-olds.
Find out if you're eligible for free childcare
Your 2-year-old can get free childcare if you get any of these 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
- child tax credits, and your household income is £16,190 a year or less before tax
- the guaranteed element of Pension Credit
- the Working Tax Credit 4-week run on (the payment you get when you stop qualifying for Working Tax Credit)
2-year-olds can also get free childcare if they:
- are looked after by a local authority
- have a statement of special education needs (SEN) or an education, health and care (EHC) plan
- get Disability Allowance
- have left care under a special guardianship order, child arrangements order or adoption order
If you’re a non-EEA citizen who cannot claim benefits
Your 2-year-old may 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 us 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’)
Funding is available from the term after your child turns 2. You can find more information on the Childcare Choices website.
| Born on or in between | Eligible for funding from |
|---|---|
| 1 January to 31 March | Summer term (April onwards) |
| 1 April to 31 August | Autumn term (September onwards) |
| 1 September to 31 December | Spring term (January onwards) |
If you’re eligible, the free early education and childcare must be with an approved childcare provider.
Apply
If you need help with your application you can:
- email Family Information Service at fis@essex.gov.uk
- visit your local Family hub or delivery site
- read our guide to applying online (PDF, 922kB).
Using your 15 hours free childcare
You can use your free 15 hours:
- over a minimum of 2 days or a maximum of 5 days a week
- for a maximum of 10 hours a day
- over 38 weeks or pro-rata over a maximum of 52 weeks per year
- anytime between 6am to 8pm, depending on the sessions offered by your chosen provider
- with one childcare provider only
- without paying for additional services
Claim your 15 hours free childcare
If your application is approved, you will receive a reference number. Give this to your chosen childcare provider.
Guidance for parents
Read our guide on Free Early Education Entitlement for 2, 3 and 4 year olds (PDF, 175.51kB) for more information and advice.
This guide is also available in:
- Arabic (PDF, 336.13kB)
- Hindi (PDF, 313.33kB)
- Romanian (PDF, 260.06kB)
- Polish (PDF, 267.84kB)
- Urdu (PDF, 337.29kB)
Privacy notices for education services
Find out what we do with the information you give us when you use our education services.
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