Who can get it?
Your 2-year-old may be eligible for funded early learning if you live in England and receive certain forms of support.
For example, you may qualify if:
- you receive Universal Credit and your annual household income does not exceed £15,400 after tax
- your child has an Education, Health and Care (EHC) plan
- your child is looked after by a local authority
- your child was previously looked after
- you cannot access benefits because of your immigration status
You can check the full eligibility criteria to find out whether your child qualifies.
Check your eligibility
You can complete an eligibility check through our Parent Portal:
Alternatively, your chosen childcare provider, Sure Start Centre or Family Hub can complete an eligibility check on your behalf.
If you are eligible for more than one funding offer
Some families may meet the eligibility criteria for both:
- the Working Parent Entitlement
- Early Learning for 2-Year-Olds funding
In line with statutory guidance, childcare providers will complete eligibility checks for both funding schemes where appropriate.
If your child is eligible for both offers, their funded hours will be split equally across both funding streams to make up their full entitlement.
Using both funding streams can help provide continuity of funding if your circumstances change.
For example, if you later become ineligible for the Working Parent Entitlement, your child would still be entitled to 15 funded hours through the Early Learning for 2-Year-Olds offer until they become eligible for the Universal 15 Hours entitlement in the term following their third birthday.