Childcare and early years education

If your child is 2 years old, they may be able to access 15 hours of free childcare. There are eligibility requirements for this offer. From September 2024, 15 hours of free childcare will be extended to all children from the age of 9 months.

In general, this free childcare offer is available if you are a parent or carer in the following circumstances:

• You receive certain benefits to support a low or limited income. (You may receive these benefits if you have an immigration status which allows you to access ‘public funds’. For example, if you are a refugee or you have successfully applied to remove the ‘no recourse to public funds (NRPF)’ condition from your visa.)
• Your 2-year-old has additional needs or has been in care. (For example, if your 2-year-old has a disability or learning need, they are in care of the local authority, or they have left care under certain arrangements.)
• You have ‘no recourse to public funds (NRPF)’ and your household income is beneath a certain amount.

Further details and information about these requirements are available from the government webpage and the NRPF Network.

You can also access free childcare for your 2-year-old if you have claimed asylum and you receive asylum support. (For example, you are waiting for a decision for your asylum claim, or you were refused asylum.)

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

• ‘leave to remain’ (temporary immigration status) with the NRPF condition on grounds of family or private life
• support from your local council because you have a child considered to be in need – for example, because they have a disability or a child protection plan
• the right to live in the UK because you are the main carer of a British citizen (known as a “Zambrano carer”. (Please see this summary of what it means to be a “Zambrano carer” from South London Refugee Association. More information can also be found in full Home Office guidance on Zambrano carers.)

From April 2024, working parents of two-year-olds will also be able to access 15 hours of free childcare per week. Applications opened on 2 January 2024.

You can find out how to apply for 15 hours of free childcare through the government website.

Early years education is optional for children aged 3 or 4.

15 hours per week

All 3 to 4-year-olds in England can receive free childcare. This is not affected by immigration status. This is available for 570 hours per year.

Usually, parents and carers use these hours for 15 hours a week over 38 weeks of the year. However, you can choose to take fewer hours over more weeks. 

The free early education and childcare must be with an approved childcare provider (see government guidance on the type of childcare that is covered).

This free childcare stops when your child starts school in reception class (or reaches compulsory school age, if later). You can receive this childcare from the term after your child’s 3rd birthday.

30 hours per week

Currently, some 3 to 4-year-olds can receive 30 hours of free childcare per week. However, this offer is affected by immigration status. There are also eligibility and residence requirements.

You must fulfil one of the following criteria to meet the residence requirement:

• You are a British or Irish citizen
• You have settled or pre-settled status through the European Union Settlement Scheme (EUSS), or you have applied and you are waiting for a decision (please see our section for European Londoners)
• You have permission to access public funds (for example, you have applied to have the ‘no recourse to public funds (NRPF)’ condition lifted, you have indefinite leave to remain, or you are a refugee.)

Only one parent or carer needs to meet the residence requirement to be eligible for the childcare. For example, if your partner is British, but you have an immigration status with the NRPF condition, then your partner can apply.

However, if both parents or carers have an immigration status with the NRPF condition, then you will not be able to access the 30 hours’ free childcare for your child. This is also the case if you are a single parent or carer in this situation. 

If you meet the residence requirement, you may be able to apply for 30 hours per week of free childcare. You will need to check that you are eligible. Eligibility requirements are as follows:

• you are either:
  • working (including circumstances when you are taking time off for annual leave, sickness, or maternity, paternity and adoption)
  • not currently working but your partner is, and you receive certain benefits (for example, related to disability)
• you expect to earn a certain amount over the next 3 months,
• your child lives with you most of the time.

From September 2025, working parents of children under the age of five will be entitled to 30 hours of free childcare a week. 

Full details and information on eligibility for 30 hours’ free childcare per week can be found on the government website.