Free Childcare for 2 years olds

Families that meet certain criteria can get 15 hours of free childcare or early education. This starts the term after their child's second birthday.

The free entitlement can be taken at any Ofsted registered provider. This includes local nurseries, pre-schools, playgroups, and childminders. The provider must be eligible to get funding and signed up to Oldham Council's list of approved providers:

It entitles you to receive the 15 hours over 38 weeks (A total of 570 hours per year). You can ‘stretch’ the hours over more weeks, using fewer hours per week, this can be discussed with your chosen childcare provider.

Who is eligible?

Your 2-year-old can get free childcare if you get one 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
  • 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:

You may have to pay for extra costs like meals, nappies or trips.

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’)
  • support from your local council because you have ‘a child in need’, for example, they have a disability or a child protection plan

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 the right to live in the UK because you’re the main Carer of a British citizen (known as a ‘Zambrano Carer’)

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.

If you have a child that falls under the non-EEA citizen eligibility criteria above, please email the Free Entitlement team:

Apply

To apply for free child care for your 2 year old child you will need to create an account and sign into our parent portal:

When to apply

You can apply once your child is 21 months old and your child becomes eligible for a free 15 hour place in the term after their second birthday.

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

Working Families of 2 Year Olds

Eligible working parents in England with children aged 2, will have access to an additional 15 hours of childcare.

For more information on the working families eligibility, and how to apply, please visit:

Tax-Free Childcare

Tax-Free Childcare is a government scheme to support working parents with childcare costs.

If eligible, you set up an online childcare account which you can use to pay your childcare provider directly.

For every £8 you pay in, the government will pay in an extra £2. You can get up to £2,000 per child per year, or £4,000 for disabled children.

You can use Tax-Free Childcare to pay for:

  • Registered childminders, nurseries and nannies
  • Registered after-school clubs and play schemes
  • Home care workers working for a registered home care agency

Apply for Tax-Free Childcare