Apply for an eligible two year old place
Session 2024/25
Parents who have children born between 1 March 2023 and 29 February 2024 and who meet the criteria below may be eligible for up to 1140 hours of Early Learning and Childcare.
Applications can continue to be made for chilren who meet this year's birthdate criteria and who have not yet turned three years of age. These would be children born between 1 September 2022 and 28 February 2023.
Application periods
Enrolment for eligible 2 year olds is undertaken through the year but applications open based on the child’s DOB.
There are 3 dates in the year that we open applications to check eligibility for children, this is to make the process quicker and easier for parents as it ensures we are working with the most up to date information to be able to confirm eligibility.
These dates are shown in the table below
Applications can currently be made for children born up to the end of February 2023, Applications for children to start from August 2025 can be submitted as per the table below
|
Session 2024/25 |
||
|
Funding start date |
DOB |
Applications can be made from |
|
06/01/2025 |
01/09/2022 – 31/12/2022 |
1 Oct 2024 |
|
21/04/2025 |
01/01/2023– 28/02/2023 |
6 Jan 2025 |
|
Session 2025/26 |
||
|
Funding start date |
DOB |
Applications can be made from |
|
20/08/2025 |
01/03/2023 – 31/08/2023 |
26 May 2025 |
|
05/01/2026 |
01/09/2023 – 31/12/2023 |
1 Oct 2025 |
|
20/04/2026 |
01/01/2024 – 29/02/2024 |
5 Jan 2026 |
Qualifying criteria for current applications
- children must have been born between 1 March 2023 and 29 February 2024
- the home in which the child resides must in receipt of one of the following benefits
- or meet the alternative criteria
Eligibility Criteria
- Income Support
- Income-based Job Seeker's Allowance (JSA)
- Any income related element of Employment and Support Allowance (ESA)
- Incapacity/severe disablement allowances
- Pension Credit
- Universal Credit where the monthly earned income does not exceed £850
- Support under Part VI of the Immigration and Asylum Act 1999
Alternative criteria
The following children are also eligible:
- children aged two or over who are (or have been at any point since turning two) looked after by a local council, the subject of a kinship care or guardianship order
- children of care experienced parents born between the birth dates above.
How do I apply?
You need to complete the online eligibility check form.
If your child is eligible for a funded two year old place, you will be emailed and asked to complete a full application form. This form is then passed to your chosen setting to process.
2 year old funding remains in place until a child starts ELC3, even if the parent's circumstances change.
Universal Credit
We require a copy of your most recent statement. This needs to show information from your most recent statement period and include the following information:
• parent’s name and address
• the statement period
• full breakdown of benefit entitlements
• full breakdown of deductions, even if the deductions shown are zero.
When providing online Universal Credit evidence, we require the evidence to cover the information shown in the link below.
Looked After/Kinship Care
We will get in touch directly to get some further details relating to local authority who looked after the child or parent.
When can a child start?
| When can the child start? | |
|---|---|
| A parent receives a qualifying benefit when their child turns 2 years old | The term after the child’s 2nd birthday |
| A parent starts receiving a qualifying benefit after their child turns 2 years old | The term after the parent starts receiving the benefits |
| If a child is looked after by a local council, the subject of a kinship care or guardianship order | From the child’s 2nd birthday or from the point that they are looked after, under a kinship care order, or with a parent appointed guardian. |
Transport
Early Learning and Childcare provision has no entitlement to transport.