Overview

The 2 year-olds' entitlement scheme is for children whose parents or carers have a low income.

If you are eligible, we will pay early education and childcare costs for up to 15 hours a week during term-time, or for fewer hours each week but for more weeks of the year.

You are eligible if you receive one of the following:

• 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
• 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

You are also eligible if your 2 year-old child:

• has an education, health and care (EHC) plan
• gets Disability Living Allowance
• is looked after by the council
• has left care under an adoption, special guardianship or child arrangements order

If you're not a European Economic Area (EEA) citizen and you cannot claim benefits but you get support through the Immigration and Asylum Act, you may be eligible if you 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'

If you are the carer of a 2 year-old child, you may be eligible if your household income after tax is £15,400 a year or less, and you have either:

• leave to remain in the UK with 'no recourse to public funds' on family or private life grounds under Article 8 of the European Convention on Human Rights
• 'no recourse to public funds' because of your immigration status – or lack of immigration status – and get support under Section 17 of the Children Act 1989
• the right to live in the UK because you are the main carer of a British citizen – known as a Zambrano Carer

'No recourse to public funds' can mean, for example, you cannot claim benefits.

You may only use this funding with approved Ofsted-registered childcare providers, which includes child minders.

This scheme is not intended to cover the costs of:

• meals
• buying items – for example, nappies or sun cream
• activities – for example, day trips
• additional hours

A video shows why childminders are vitally important providers for 2 year-olds.

For more information please contact FIS 01375 652801 or visit the website below:

Help paying for childcare: Free education and childcare for 2-year-olds - GOV.UK (www.gov.uk)