Funding | preschool

15 hours free childcare

All 3 year old children in England get 570 funded hours per year. At St Andrews you can take this as 15 hours a week for 38 weeks of the year. Your child will be eligible for this from the term after their 3rd birthday.

2-year-olds can get free early education and childcare if you live in England and get one of the following benefits:

Income Support
income-based Jobseeker’s Allowance (JSA)
income-related Employment and Support Allowance (ESA)
Universal Credit
tax credits and you have an annual income of under £16,190 before tax
the guaranteed element of State Pension Credit
support through part 6 of the Immigration and Asylum Act
the Working Tax Credit 4-week run on (the payment you get when you stop qualifying for Working Tax Credit)

A child can also get funded 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

If you’re eligible the funded early education and childcare:

must be with an approved childcare provider
starts from the term after your child’s 2nd birthday

30 hours funded childcare

You may be able to get up to 30 hours funded childcare (1,140 hours per year, which you can choose how you take).

If you’re eligible for the extra hours, you sign up online to get a code to give to your childcare provider to reserve your place. You’ll get the extra hours once the next term starts.

Eligibility

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

in work - or getting parental leave, sick leave or annual leave
each earning at least the National Minimum Wage or Living Wage for 16 hours a week - this is £120 if you’re over 25. This earnings limit doesn’t apply if you’re self-employed and started your business less than 12 months ago.

You’re not eligible if:

your child doesn’t usually live with you
the child is your foster child
either you or your partner has a taxable income over £100,000

You can get 30 hours free childcare at the same time as claiming Universal Credit, tax credits or childcare vouchers.

If you can’t work

You may still be eligible if your partner is working, and you get Incapacity Benefit, Severe Disablement Allowance, Carer’s Allowance or Employment and Support Allowance.

Apply for 30 hours funded childcare

You’ll need your details (and your partner’s, if you have one), including your:

National Insurance number
Unique Taxpayer Reference (UTR), if you’re self-employed

It takes 20 minutes to apply. You may find out if you’re eligible straight away, but it can take up to 7 days.

You’ll get a childcare account if your application is successful. You can use it to get your code for 30 hours funded childcare.

If you pay for childcare and want to use Tax-Free Childcare to get help with costs, you can also apply using this service.

Apply now to get a code to use for the term starting in January. You must apply by 31 December.

For more information and to check eligibility please visit:

https://www.gov.uk/help-with-childcare-costs

https://childcare-support.tax.service.gov.uk/par/app/extendedentitlement

Don't forget to check if you could be eligible for TAX-FREE childcare and save 20% off your invoice!