Free childcare for 2 year olds

Some 2 year olds can get up to 15 hours of free childcare, from the term after their second birthday. 

Who's eligible for free childcare

You may be eligible if you receive one of the following:

• 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, not including benefit payments
• child tax credits, and your household income is £16,190 a year or less before tax
• the guaranteed element of Pension Credit
• the Working Tax Credit 4-week run on (the payment you get when you stop qualifying for Working Tax Credit)

Your child will be automatically eligible if they;

• are looked after by a local authority
• have a statement of special education needs (SEN) or an education, health and care (EHC) plan
• get Disability Living Allowance
• have left care under an adoption order, special guardianship order or a child arrangements order

Non-EEA citizens who cannot claim benefits

Your 2-year-old may get the Free Childcare Entitlement if you are getting support under the Immigration and Asylum Act and have either:

• claimed asylum in the UK and are waiting for a decision (known as part 6)
• been refused asylum in the UK (known as section 4

A 2-year-old you care for may also get the Free Childcare Entitlement if your household income is £15,400 a year or less after tax, and you have either:

• leave to remain with ‘no recourse to public funds’ on family or private life grounds
• the right to live in the UK because you are the main carer of a British citizen (known as a Zambrano Carer)

Check if you are eligible 

Check if you are eligible for free childcare

If you’re eligible, you will receive an email confirmation letter. You’ll need to take this to your chosen childcare provider to access a free place.

If you meet the automatically funded criteria, please provide evidence of eligibility, such as DLA award letter or adoption certificate to your chosen childcare provider.

If you meet the Non-EEA citizen criteria, then please contact the Sutton Family Information Service on 020 8770 6000 to discuss what evidence is required.

Using your 15 hours of funded childcare

Free childcare can be used at any Ofsted registered childcare provider, that has also registered with the local authority to provide free childcare places, such as:

• childminder
• day nursery
• preschools
• schools

A list of childcare providers in Sutton can be found on the Family Services directory.