You can apply for 2-year-old funding (locally known as Me2) on the Citizen’s Portal. There is information on the portal to help you complete your application.
Your 2-year-old can get free childcare if you live in England and get one of the following benefits:
- Income Support
- income-based Jobseeker’s Allowance (JSA)
- 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
- the guaranteed element of Pension Credit
- Child Tax Credit, Working Tax Credit (or both), and your household income is £16,190 a year or less before tax
- 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 early education and childcare if any of the following apply:
- they’re looked after by a local council
- 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
- children of Zambrano Carers
- children of families with no recourse to public funds with a right to remain in the UK on grounds of private/family life under Article 8 of the European Convention on Human Rights
- children of a subset of failed asylum seekers (supported under section 4 of the Immigration and Asylum Act 1999 – ‘the 1999 Act’).
If you’re eligible the free early education and childcare:
- must be with an approved childcare provider
- starts from the term after your child’s 2nd birthday.
WarningWe are unable to fund Tier 4 International Students with no Recourse to Public Funds unless sufficient evidence is provided to support an application from a Professional referral.
The 15 hours must be used over at least two days each week and parents/carers can use a maximum of 10 hours a day between 8am and 6pm.
| Child's birthday | When you can claim |
|---|---|
| 1 January to 31 March | The beginning of term on or after 1 April |
| 1 April to 31 August | The beginning of term on or after 1 September |
| 1 September to 31 December | The beginning of term on or after 1 January |
If they're eligible, your child can claim a free place from the beginning of the term after they become two years old.