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Free childcare places for two-year-olds
If your child is approaching their 2nd birthday, they may be eligible for a free part-time place in a high-quality childcare setting (nursery or childminder) from the term following their 2nd birthday.
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Your two-year-old can get free childcare if you live in England and receive one 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 £15400 a year or less after tax, not including benefit payments
- Parents are eligible for the two-year-old entitlement if their income is £16190 a year or less and:
- They receive child tax credit but not working tax credit
- They receive working tax credit but not child tax credit
- They receive the working tax credit 4-week run on (the payment you get when you stop qualifying for working tax credit
Parents are not eligible when they claim working tax credits and child tax credits at the same time.
Two-year-olds can also get free childcare if they:
- are children who are looked after by the local authority
- have a current statement of special education needs (SEN) or an education, health and care (EHC) plan
- get Disability Living Allowance (DLA)
- have left care under an adoption order, special guardianship order or a child arrangements order
You may have to pay for extra costs like meals, nappies or trips.