Funded care and education for two-year-olds
Would you like to:
- give your child a head start?
- be able to go back to work?
- give your child high-quality learning and care?
- have some time for yourself?
15 hours of funded childcare per week could help.
Some parents are sent a text, email or invitation through the post telling them that they might be eligible for 2 year old funding. These are sent from Devon County Council’s Early Years and Childcare team and will include a link to the Citizen’s Portal where you can apply to see if you can be funded. Most texts will show up on your phone as a Private Number. Emails can sometimes go into junk or spam folders, so we ask that parents and carers regularly check.
If you have not received an invitation but think you may be eligible, you can still check your eligibility or call us on 0345 155 1013 so that we can check for you.
If you are eligible you will be sent either an email or a message (you can choose which). If someone checked your eligibility for you then you will receive a letter in the post. Please take this information to your chosen nursery, preschool or childminder as proof of your eligibility.
Only those providers that are judged as good or outstanding by Ofsted will be funded to admit two-year-olds. Occasionally, if there are not enough good or outstanding places in an area, a provider with a ‘requires improvement’ outcome will be funded. Find childcare in Devon on our Family Information Directory.
Your two-year-old is eligible for funded childcare if you receive any 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)
Two-year-olds can also get funded childcare if they:
- are looked after by the Local Authority
- have an Education, Health and Care Plan
- get Disability Living Allowance
- have left care under an adoption order, special guardianship order or a child arrangements order
Parents or carers of foster children, children who are in the care of another local authority, children with additional needs or adopted children should apply online and attach supporting evidence to their application.
If you’re a non-UK citizen who cannot claim benefits
If your immigration status says you have ‘no recourse to public funds’, you may still get free childcare for your 2-year-old. You must live in England and your household income must be no more than:
- £26,500 for families outside of London with one child
- £34,500 for families within London with one child
- £30,600 for families outside of London with two or more children
- £38,600 for families within London with two or more children
You cannot have more than £16,000 in savings or investments.
Parents will need to complete the Application for funded early education for two-year-olds from families with no recourse to public funds (NRPF) and attach this to their online application, along with any supporting evidence such as Biometric Residence Permits, bank statements or wage slips.
If you aren’t eligible for 2 year old funding based on income and benefits you may be able to get 2 year old funding as a working parent under a separate scheme. If you are eligible for the 2 year old funding based on income and benefits and as a working parent, you must apply for the funding based on income and benefits.
Find out more about these definitions at GOV.UK: Free education and childcare for 2-year-olds.
If you have any questions about 2-year-old funding please email eyef@devon.gov.uk
Further information and advice
Childcare Choices contains lots of useful information on the government help that is available towards childcare costs.
The charity Employers for Childcare offers personalised advice and guidance to families so they get the financial support they’re entitled to.
Check our factsheet for details of other help with childcare costs.