Available help with nursery costs

You can get help paying for childcare if it’s provided by an ‘approved childcare’ setting. 

​

Tax-Free Childcare

You can get up to £500 every 3 months (up to £2,000 a year) for each of your children to help with the costs of childcare. This goes up to £1,000 every 3 months if a child is disabled (up to £4,000 a year). 

 

Eligibility depends on:

• if you are working

• your income (and your partner’s income, if you have one)

• your child’s age and circumstances

• your immigration status

​

Further details on eligibility and how to apply can be found HERE.

​

15 hours for 2-year olds

Your 2-year-old can get free childcare hours if you live in England and get 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 £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 Living Allowance

• have left care under an adoption order, special guardianship order or a child arrangements order

Further information can be found HERE.

​

15 hours free childcare for 3 and 4 year olds 

All 3 to 4-year-olds in England can get 570 free hours per year at a per hour rate set by the local authority.   It is usually taken as 15 hours a week for 38 weeks of the year, but if the setting operates for more than 38 weeks of the year,  these hours can be spread over more weeks - this is known as stretch funding. Meals, nappies and other extras are not included in this allowance and are usually paid in addition to it.

​

If your child is eligible, this entitlement applies from the start of the next term, after your child's 3rd birthday. For example, if they turn 3 in April, they will get this from September of that year.

​

If a childcare setting provides additional services, their hourly rate may be higher than that set by the local authority. However, they can still use your entitlement to help offset the overall cost.

​

Entitlement is reviewed by HMRC every three months. Further details can be found HERE. 

​

30 hours free childcare for 3 and 4 year olds 

Some 3 and 4 year olds can receive 1,140 hours of free childcare per year at a per hour rate set by the local authority.   It is usually taken as 30 hours a week for 38 weeks of the year, but if the setting operates for more than 38 weeks of the year,  these hours can be spread over more weeks - this is known as stretch funding.

 

If your child is eligible, this entitlement applies from the start of the next term, after your child's 3rd birthday. For example, if they turn 3 in April, they will get this from September of that year.

​

Eligibility depends on:

​

• If both parents are working (or a parent, in single parent families)

• Your income (and your partner’s income, if you have one)

• Your child’s age and circumstances

• Your immigration status

​

You will need to expect to earn a certain amount over the next 3 months. This is at least the National Minimum Wage or Living Wage for 16 hours a week on average.

 

If you have a partner, they’ll need to expect to earn at least this much too.

 

This earnings limit does not apply if you’re self-employed and started your business less than 12 months ago.

 

If you or your partner have an expected ‘adjusted net income’ over £100,000 in the current tax year you will not be eligible. This includes any bonuses you expect to get.

​

To be eligible for 30 hours free childcare, you (or your partner if you have one) must have a National Insurance number and at least one of the following:

​

• British or Irish citizenship

• Settled or pre-settled status, or you have applied and you’re waiting for a decision

• Permission to access public funds - your UK residence card will tell you if you cannot do this

​

Further information is available HERE.