If you are living in England and:

• your child is in receipt of Disability Living Allowance (DLA)

or if you are in receipt of one of the following benefits:

• Income Support
• Income-based Jobseeker’s Allowance (JSA)
• Income-related Employment and Support Allowance (ESA)
• Universal Credit and household earnings are no more than £15,400 per year
• the guaranteed element of State Pension Credit
• Child Tax Credits, with an annual household income of no more than £16,190
• Working Tax Credits, with an annual household income of no more than £16,190
• Working Tax Credit 4-week run on (paid for 4 weeks after a family stops qualifying for Working Tax Credits)
• support through part 6 of the Immigration and Asylum Act and you have a NASS number

Please note that you are not eligible if you claim working tax credits and child tax credits at the same time.

If you receive one of the benefits listed above your child may be eligible and you can apply for the funding.

Apply online

See below for more information about how you can use your 2 year old funding hours.

Children are also entitled to a funded place if:

• they are looked after
• they have a current Education, Health and Care Plan (EHCP)
• they have left care under a Special Guardianship Order, Child Arrangements Order or Adoption Order

If your child meets one of the criteria above, please go to apply via post.

Non-EEA citizens who cannot claim benefits criteria

Children are also entitled to a funded place if:

• their parent’s immigration status includes the condition of “No Recourse to Public Funds" and
• their household income is less than £26,500 with 1 child or £30,600 with 2 or more children

Families will need to evidence their immigration status and income when applying.

If you meet the criteria above, please download an application for two-year-old funding to apply via post

Two-year-old funding application form (PDF)

Eligible children can receive up to 570 hours of funded early education per year. This can be used in many different ways such as 15 hours per week for 38 weeks of the year, or less hours per week for more than 38 weeks of the year. Your childcare setting will have more information about what they can provide to you.

You can use your hours in the following ways:

• a maximum of two childcare settings in one day
• a maximum of 10 hours in one day
• a maximum of 15 hours over one week
• taken between 6am to 8pm any day of the week

You do not have to take up the full 15 hours. It is important to check when your chosen setting offers funded hours to make sure you can take them at a time which suits you

Search for 2 year old - funded childcare

The childcare settings must be registered with Worcestershire County Council to offer funded places and include:

• pre-schools
• day nurseries
• school nurseries
• independent (private) schools
• funded childminders
• wrap around care

If your child attends two registered settings, you must complete a Parent Declaration Form for both settings, which must contain accurate information about the number of hours your child attends at each.