• 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
• 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

You may have to pay for extra costs like meals, nappies or trips. Contact your childcare provider or local council to find out more.

If you're a non-EEA citizen who cannot claim benefits

Your 2-year-old may get free childcare if you are getting support under the Immigration and Asylum Act and have either:

• claimed asylum in the UK and are waiting for a decision (known as 'part 6')
• been refused asylum in the UK (known as 'section 4')

A 2-year-old you care for may also get free childcare if your household income is £15,400 a year or less after tax, and you have any of the following:

• leave to remain with 'no recourse to public funds' on family or private life grounds
• support from your local council because you have 'a child in need', for example they have a disability or a child protection plan
• the right to live in the UK because you're the main carer of a British citizen (known as a 'Zambrano Carer')

All 3 to 4-year-olds in England can get 570 free hours per year. It's usually taken as 15 hours a week for 38 weeks of the year, but you can choose to take fewer hours over more weeks, for example.

The free early education and childcare:

• must be with an approved childcare provider
• stops when your child starts in reception class (or reaches compulsory school age, if later)

You may have to pay for extra costs like meals, nappies or trips. You can get it from the term after your child's 3rd birthday.

You may be able to get free childcare for 52 weeks if you use fewer than 30 hours per week. Check with your childcare provider to find out if this is something they offer.

Eligibility

Your 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

If you are working

You can usually get 30 hours free childcare if you (and your partner, if you have one) are:

• in work
• on sick leave or annual leave
• on shared parental, maternity, paternity or adoption leave

If you're on adoption leave for a child aged 3 to 4 years old, you must return to work within 31 days of the date you first apply for 30 hours free childcare for that child.

If your working pattern has changed because of coronavirus (COVID-19)

You may still be eligible for 30 hours free childcare if you're temporarily working less and either:

• you're on furlough through the Coronavirus Job Retention Scheme
• you're claiming a Self Employment Income Support Scheme grant

If you are not currently working

You may still be eligible if your partner is working, and you get Incapacity Benefit, Severe Disablement Allowance, Carer's Allowance or contribution-based Employment and Support Allowance. You can apply if you're starting or re-starting work within the next 31 days.

Your income

You'll 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. For example, over the next 3 months you expect to earn at least £1,853.28 - the National Living Wage for people over 23. If you have a partner, they'll need to expect to earn at least this much too.

If you're self-employed and do not expect to make enough profit in the next 3 months, you can use an average of how much you expect to make over the current tax year. 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. Your adjusted net income is your total taxable income before any personal allowances and minus things like Gift Aid.

Your child

You will not be eligible if your child does not usually live with you. If you foster your child, you cannot use the online application to get 30 hours free childcare. Speak to your social worker and your local authority if you want to apply.

Your immigration status

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 been living in the UK before 1 January 2021 with the right to reside
• permission to access public funds - your UK residence card will tell you if you cannot do this

When to apply

You can apply from when your child is 2 years and 36 weeks old.

You can apply outside of these recommended dates but you might not receive your code in time. You must have a valid code by the end of the month before a new term starts.

Check with your childcare provider to find out the exact date your 30 hours free childcare starts.

You have to reconfirm your eligibility every 3 months. If you apply more than 3 months before the term starts, you'll have to reconfirm your eligibility in your account in order to keep your code valid.

Apply

Apply online for 30 hours free childcare. If you are applying for 30 hours and someone else already claims Tax-Free Childcare for that child, your application will be unsuccessful.

If you have a partner

You must include your partner in your application if you are:

• married or in a civil partnership and live together
• not married or in a civil partnership, but living together as though you are

Their employment and income will not affect your eligibility if they:

• are or will be absent from your household for more than 6 months
• are a prisoner

If you are separated

You and your ex-partner need to decide who should apply if you are jointly responsible for your child. If you cannot decide, both of you must apply separately and HMRC will decide who gets a childcare account.

You can check eligibility via Help paying for childcare: Free education and childcare for 2-year-olds - GOV.UK (www.gov.uk)  or alternatively the School will check once you have completed Nursery Admissions Form and will confirm whether your child is entitled to a free part-time 2 year old place.