30 hours free childcare for 3 and 4 year olds

Eligibility for this additional free entitlement will include households where:

• both parents are working, or
• one parent is working (in a sole parent family) earning the equivalent of 16 hours a week minimum on national minimum or living wage including those receiving tax credits or Universal Credit
• one/both parent(s) is on leave (parental, maternal etc)
• one/both parent(s) on statutory sick
• one parent is employed and the other parent has either substantial caring responsibilities and/or disability

Please note:

• families where one parent is not in paid employment (or neither parent works) will usually not be eligible for these additional hours
• eligibility will be checked by HMRC and will be based on actual income earned
• all 3 and 4-year-olds (and the most disadvantaged 2-year-olds) will remain entitled to 15 hours of free early education per week during term time, regardless of the employment status of their parents

More information:

• You do not need to actually work 16 hours per week, but your earnings must equal at least 16 hours work at minimum wage / national living wage. This equates to a minimum income requirement for a parent/carer over the age of 25 of £115.20 a week, or for 21-24 year olds of £107.20 a week.
• A parent/carer will be eligible if they expect (on average) to earn this amount over the coming three months
• For example, for a parent/carer who is on a zero-hours contract, they will qualify if on average they work two weeks out of every three, and when they are working they get 25 hours of work at the minimum wage.
• 'Parent' means a person who has parental responsibility for the child. In cases where a parent has remarried or is living with a partner, the step-parent or partner must also meet the earning threshold.
• Foster carers are only eligible for the extended entitlement for their own children (if they meet the criteria); they are not eligible for children that they foster.