Free childcare funding for two year olds with families receiving some additional forms of government support

Which two-year-olds are eligible?

A two-year-old is eligible for 15 hours of free childcare if they live in a household in receipt of the following benefits:

• Income Support
• income-based Jobseeker’s Allowance
• income-related Employment and Support Allowance
• Universal Credit (where 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 the household’s income is £16,190 a year or less before tax
• the Working Tax Credit four-week run on (the payment a person gets when they stop qualifying for Working Tax Credit)

They can also be eligible if they:

• Are in receipt of Disability Living Allowance
• Are looked after by a local authority (in local authority care or provided with accommodation by a local authority for a continuous period of more than 24 hours).
• Are no longer looked after by a local authority as a result of an adoption order, a special guardianship order, or a child arrangements order.
• Have an Education, Health and Care (EHC) Plan.

Eligibility for entitlement begins at the start of the term following the child’s second birthday.

What are the steps involved?

• If you live in Salford and wish to use a Salford childcare provider, make your application with Salford.

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• If you live in Salford but will be using Childcare in another local authority area, you should make your application to that local authority.
• If you live in another local authority area but wish to use a Salford childcare provider, you should apply with Salford
• Before you apply check you meet one of the essential criteria to ensure you are eligible for the funding.
• Check you can apply now – children are eligible for the funding the term after their second birthday and the application portal opens 9 weeks before the funding is due to start (check table above)
• Before applying you will need your National Insurance Number or if applicable your National Asylum Support Service (NASS number). Remember to use the National Insurance number of the person who meets the criteria.
• Use the childcare quick search to find childcare providers in your area.
• If you have any problems applying or any questions, please contact us 0161 778 0384 or email slw@salford.gov.uk.

Essential criteria 

To be considered for two-year-old funding a child and their family must be in receipt of at least one of the following benefits or meet one of the other criteria listed below.

• Income Support
• Income-based Jobseeker’s Allowance (JSA)
• Income-related Employment and Support Allowance (ESA)
• Universal Credit - if you and your partner have a combined income from work of less than £15,400 a year after tax (not including benefit payments)
• Tax credits and you have an annual income of under £16,190 before tax
• The guaranteed element of State Pension Credit
• Support through part 6 of the Immigration and Asylum Act
• The Working Tax Credit four-week run on (the payment you get when you stop qualifying for Working Tax Credit)
• A child can also get free early education and childcare if any of the following apply:
• they’re looked after by a local council (fostered)
• they have a current statement of special education needs (SEN) or an education, health and care (EHC) plan
• they get Disability Living Allowance
• they’ve left care under a special guardianship order; child arrangements order or adoption order
• Two-year-old children in low-income families are now able to take up a free place when their parent(s) have one of the following types of immigrations status:
• Zambrano carer (derivative right to reside in the UK under European law as the primary carer of a British child or dependent adult)
• Leave to remain with no recourse to public funds (NRPF) granted on family or private life (Article 8) grounds
• Been refused asylum in the UK and receiving support from the Home Office under section 4 [2] of the Immigration and Asylum Act 1999

Parents who are Zambrano carers or who have leave to remain with NRPF, must also be able to demonstrate that they have a low income.

For further information and application form, please contact the Starting Life Well service on 0161 778 0384 option 1 or email slw@salford.gov.uk

Glossary

The term 'looked after' was introduced by the Children Act 1989 and refers to children who are subject to care orders and those who are voluntarily accommodated. Here are some examples of looked after children:

• Parents or guardians have agreed with a social care team that a child/young person will be cared for away from home
• A child/young person is being cared for away from home because of a court order
• There is no responsible caring adult available to look after a child/young person permanently
• A child/young person is being cared for away from home because of a court order
• A child/young person is placed for adoption but has not yet been legally adopted by your new permanent family

Check and apply for funding now