Childcare Expansion Offer

From September 2024, parents with children ages 9 -23 months may be eligible for 15 hours of childcare a week. This is a total of 570 hours a year.

This will later be extended to 30 hours, equivalent to 1140 hours a year from September 2025.

15 Hours Funding for Two-Year-Olds
For families who receive financial support, you can claim up to 15 hours childcare per week for up to 38 weeks, equivalent to 11 hours a week for an all year round setting like ours.

Please see details below on how to apply for 15 hours childcare per week for your 2-year-old.

The eligibility criteria can be found here:
https://www.gov.uk/help-with-childcare-costs/free-childcare-2-year-olds

If you meet the criteria, you will need to then apply via the Early Years Citizen Portal: https://edu.bexley.gov.uk/citizenportal_LIVE

When you register your account and add your child’s details, you will be given two different applications. The first is the ‘Economic’ application which you need to complete first. This will ask you to add your National Insurance number so the system can check to see if you claim any benefits that fit the criteria.

If eligible, you will receive an eligible reference number (begins with TYF) that you then give to your chosen Childcare Provider who will claim funding for you from the date your eligibility starts (this will be stated on your eligible application reference)

If the system says you are not eligible, but you feel you are, then you must complete the ‘Non-Economic’ application that’ll ask you to attach evidence of the benefits you receive. This then gets sent to our team for approval and then again, an eligible application reference will be emailed to you.

For eligible working families in England with a 2 year old

From April 2024, each parent earning under £100k per year and at least £167 per week (equal to 16 hours at the National Minimum or Living Wage) may be eligible for 15 hours of childcare.

15 Hours Funding for 3 and 4-Year-Olds
All children aged 3 in a term are entitled to 15 hours of childcare a week (or 570 hours per year) to use as you wish. A copy of your child’s birth certificate will be needed on application for this and parent/carer details.

30 Hours Funding for 3 and 4-Year-Olds
Up to 30 funded hours a week are available for working families in England. This is a total of 1,140 hours per academic year. Please use the link below to apply.
Apply for 30 hours free childcare - GOV.UK (www.gov.uk)

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Children can start to receive funding for the extended entitlement (30 hours from the term after the parents have confirmed their eligibility via HMRC.