Childcare for 2 year olds

Currently, families who get some extra forms of government support may be entitled to 15 hours funding for their 2-year-old. This starts the term after they turn 2 years old.  

Once submitted, you will be told if you are eligible or not. If you are not eligible and would like us to check this, please contact us using the details below. 

Please enter all details correctly. This means the information can be automatically checked using our system. If you enter any wrong information, get in touch and we can manually process your application.

Who is eligible for 2-year-old targeted funding 

Your 2-year-old can get funded childcare if you live in England and get any of the following benefits: 

• Income Support 
• income-based Jobseeker’s Allowance (JSA) 
• income-related Employment and Support Allowance (ESA) 
• Universal Credit, and your household income is £15,400 a year or less after tax. This must not include benefit payments 
• the guaranteed element of Pension Credit 
• Child Tax Credit, Working Tax Credit (or both), and your household income is £16,190 a year or less before tax 
• the Working Tax Credit 4-week run on (the payment you get when you stop qualifying for Working Tax Credit) 

2-year-olds can also get funded childcare if they: 

• are looked after by a local authority or are adopted 
• have an education, health and care (EHC) plan
• receive Disability Living Allowance  

If you would like to discuss your application: 

• call us on 01803 207895  
• email us  

2-year-old funding for Working families 

Eligible working families may be entitled to 15 hours a week funding for their 2-year-old. From September 2025 this will increase to 30 hours. This would start from the term after they turn 2 years old.  This is known as the Working parents’ entitlement.  

From September 2025, eligible working parents of children under the age of five-years-old will be entitled to up to 30 hours a week funded childcare. 

Both parents or lone parent need to: 

• be working the equivalent of 16 hours per week at the National Minimum or Living Wage 
• expect to earn at least:  
• £61.92 a week if you’re under 18 
• £84.80 a week if you’re aged 18-20  
• £52.80 a week if you’re an apprentice. This applies if you are under 19, or in the first year of your apprenticeship. 

They must also: 

• live in England 
• expect to have income of less than £100,000 each a year 

Useful information 

What if I’m a non-UK citizen who cannot claim benefits 

If your immigration status says you have ‘no recourse to public funds’, you may still get funded childcare for your 2-year-old. You must live in England and your household income must be no more than: 

• £26,500 for families resident in Torbay with one child 
• £30,600 for families resident in Torbay with two or more children 

You cannot have more than £16,000 in savings or investments. 

If you think you may be entitled, contact us on 01803 207895 and we can discuss how to proceed with an application. 

Who is entitled to working parent funding 

Children from nine months to four years old can access 15 funded hours of childcare. Parents must meet the criteria below. 

Funded hours will be available where both parents (or the sole parent in a lone parent family): 

• Are working. Earn on average a weekly minimum amount equivalent to working 16 hours. This must be at either National Minimum Wage (NMW) or National Living Wage (NLW). 
• Have an adjusted net income of less than £100,000 each per year. 
• Live in England. Parents who are non-EEA nationals must have recourse to public funds to qualify. 

You may still be eligible to apply if you or your partner: 

• Are taking paid time off work. For example, maternity leave, paternity leave or sick leave. 
• Are temporarily away from England for a period of up to 6 months. For example, on military duty. 

You can also apply if either you or your partner are employed or self-employed 

Further eligibility details can be found on the childcare choices website 

Where can my child receive this funded entitlement 

There are many providers of this service within Torbay. This could be at a:  

• day nursery 
• school nursery registered to care for 2-year-olds 
• pre-school 
• childminder 

All providers receiving funding through this scheme are registered with us. They are regularly inspected by Ofsted to ensure they meet required standards. 

When you can use your funded hours 

The hours you can book will depend on your chosen childcare provider. Usually, you will be asked to commit to the same weekly pattern of hours for each term. You will need to agree changes to these with them. 

We do encourage providers to offer flexible free hours. You will however need to take the hours within their available sessions. 

Your childcare provider may also offer you the choice of attending:  

• during term times only. 15 hours over 38 weeks of the year, or  
• throughout the year. 11 hours per week over the full year 

Do you need to pay for anything at your childcare provider 

Your child’s first 15 or 30 hours of childcare each week are funded. You will need to pay for anything above this at the normal rates charged by the provider.  

You may also be charged for any additional services you use. For example, hot lunches considered over and above the ‘normal’ nursery day. You should not have to take any of these extra services to receive your funded hours. 

For example, your child attends a session of three hours (as part of your funded 15 hours). The children go for a swimming lesson that costs £5 in that time. You can be charged for the swimming lesson if you want your child to attend. However, your child should not have to attend this swimming lesson as a condition of them receiving their funded hours. There should be a free alternative available. This should allow your child to attend the session without this cost. 

Any costs charged to you should be made clear on your invoice. 

What funded hours you can take 

Within the sessions your provider offers, any hours between 6am and 8pm are potentially funded. The first 15 or 30 hours your child attends each week (between the hours of 6am and 8pm) will be the funded ones. The maximum a child can claim in one day is 10 hours. The child should not attend more than 2 providers on different sites in one day. 

Where you will receive your funded hours if your child attends two different childcare providers  

It is up to you how many funded hours your child receives at each provider. If you split your funded hours, you will only receive a maximum of 15 or 30 hours each week depending on eligibility.