Childcare

Early Education Funding for three and four year olds

If you have a child, who is three-four years old and attending an Early Years setting, or childminder registered within the Royal Borough, you are entitled to claim Early Education Funding. You are entitled to a maximum of 15 hours of free childcare per week, during term-time, amounting to a maximum 570 hours per year.

You become eligible for this at the start of the school term following your child’s 3rd birthday, and the entitlement lasts up until the term of your child’s 5th birthday, as long as they continue to attend Early Years Provision, and entry to school Reception has been deferred.

Please visit AfC’s Early Years Funding webpage for more information.

30 hours free entitlement

If you are a working parent of a child, who is three-four years old, you may qualify for up to 30 hours of free childcare per week, amounting to 1,140 hours per year.

To apply for an Eligibility Code, please visit central government’s Childcare Choices webpage, or contact the Childcare Service helpline on 0300 123 4097.

Two year old funding

If you have a child, who is two years old, you may be entitled to access up to 15 hours a week, during term time, of funded early education.

Please visit our Applying for Two Year Old Funding webpage for the criteria, and AfC’s Funding Application webpage to apply.

Please note that applications are only accepted for children from the school term (January-March, April-August, or September-December) in which the child turns two.

Tax free childcare

You can get up to £500 every three months (up to £2,000 a year) for each of your children to help with the costs of childcare. This goes up to £1,000 every three months if a child is disabled (up to £4,000 a year).

Please visit the government’s tax free childcare page for further information.