Eligibility

Parents of three and four year olds will need to meet the following criteria in order to be eligible for 30 hours free childcare:

• They earn or expect to earn the equivalent to 16 hours at National Minimum or Living Wage over the coming three months.
• This equates to £120 a week (or £6,000 a year) for each parent over 25 years old or £112.80 a week (or £5,800 a year) for each parent between 21 and 24 years old.
• This applies whether you are in paid employment, self-employed or on zero hours contract.
• The parent (and their partner where applicable) should be seeking the free childcare to enable them to work.
• Where one or both parents are on maternity, paternity, shared parental or adoption leave, or if they are on statutory sick leave.
• Where one parent meets the income criteria and the other is unable to work because they are disabled, have caring responsibilities or have been assessed as having limited capability to work.
• Where a parent is in a ‘start-up period’ (example: they are newly self-employed) they do not need to demonstrate that they meet the income criteria for 12 months.
• If a non-EEA national, the parent must have recourse to public funds.

Note: Please be aware that the entitlement to a free place does not offer a guarantee of a place at any one provider or a particular pattern of provision.