Entitlement to early education funding

Eligibility for the different funded early education and childcare schemes typically depends on two factors:

1. the age of your child
2. your working status or income

Children under 2 years old

Families with children aged between 9 months and 2 years are not currently eligible for funded hours. However, the Government has announced new entitlements:

• from April 2024
  • all eligible working parents of 2 year olds will be able to access 15 hours per week of funded education and care for 38 weeks per year
• from September 2024
  • all eligible working parents of children aged 9 months up to 3 years will be able to access 15 hours per week of funded education and care for 38 weeks per year
• from September 2025
  • all eligible working parents of children aged 9 months up to 3 years will be able to access 30 hours per week of funded education and care for 38 weeks per year

Currently, there are no plans to provide funded places for children under 9 months.

What does the Government mean by 'eligible qorking families'?

Families must meet certain income requirements to qualify for both the current 30 hour offer for 3 and 4 year olds and the upcoming offers for younger children.

This eligibility applies to:

• each parent or carer in dual-parent households
• the lone parent or carer in single-parent households

To qualify, each parent or carer must:

• earn more than the equivalent of 16 hours per week at the national living wage or minimum wage
  • for example, over three months, you must expect to earn at least £1,976 (based on the National Living Wage for those aged 23 and older)
  • the requirement is based on earnings, not hours worked. For instance, if you work 10 hours per week but earn £20 per hour, you meet the threshold.

• earn less than £100,000 per year
  • for dual-parent households, both parents must earn below £100,000 to qualify. For example:
    • if one parent earns £101,000, the family is ineligible
    • if both parents earn £99,000, the family is eligible

Special circumstances

Families must meet specific criteria to qualify for the 30 hour offer for 3 and 4 year olds, as well as the upcoming offers for younger children. These criteria apply to both parents or carers in dual-parent households and to the lone parent or carer in single-parent households.

• Apprentices
  • Apprentices are eligible if they earn the equivalent of 16 hours at the apprentice minimum wage and earn less than £100,000 per year

• Parental leave
  • Parents on maternity, paternity, adoption, or shared parental leave can still apply if they meet the income requirements
  • For parents on adoption leave for a child aged 3 to 4 years, you must return to work within 31 days of submitting your initial application for the 30 hour offer

• Returning to work
  • Parents or carers who are not currently working but expect to take up paid work within 31 days can apply for the 30 hour offer, provided they anticipate meeting the income threshold over the next three months

• Self-employed or zero-hours contracts
  • Parents or carers who are self-employed or on zero-hours contracts qualify if they expect to meet the earnings threshold on average over the three months after applying

• Shared households
  • If you live with a partner, both individuals must meet the income and eligibility criteria, even if one is not the child’s biological parent (for example, in cases of remarriage or new partnerships)
  • For separated or divorced parents, eligibility applies only to the parent the child lives with and their partner if they are part of the same household

• Start-ups
  • If you are starting a new business, you do not need to meet the minimum earnings requirement during your first year of trading

Further information

Eligible parents can now apply for the expanded 2 year old entitlement, as applications opened in January 2024. Children meeting the criteria have been able to access this funding since April 2024.

For more information, visit the Childcare Choices website or email: EY&CBrokerage@swindon.gov.uk.