🧒 Childcare Help for Parents in England
If you have children, you probably know childcare can be very expensive. But don’t worry — there is some free help available! You can learn about the average cost of childcare on the Money Helper website:
🔗 Childcare Costs
🎁 Free Childcare (FEEE)
If your child is under 4 years old, you may get free childcare. This is called Free Early Education Entitlement (FEEE). The rules depend on your child’s age and your situation.
🧒 For All 3- and 4-Year-Olds
✅ Every 3 and 4-year-old in England can get 570 hours of free childcare each year. That’s 15 hours each week for 38 weeks. You can use this at any Ofsted registered childcare provider.
👶 For Some 2-Year-Olds
Some 2-year-olds can also get 15 free hours a week if their family gets certain benefits, such as:
- 🧾 Income Support
- 🧾 Jobseeker’s Allowance (income-based)
- 🧾 Employment and Support Allowance (income-related)
- 🧾 Universal Credit (with household income £15,400 or less after tax – not counting benefits)
- 🧾 Pension Credit (guaranteed part)
- 🧾 Child Tax Credit or Working Tax Credit (or both), with income under £16,190 before tax
- 🧾 Working Tax Credit 4-week run on (if you just stopped getting it)
❤️ Other Reasons a 2-Year-Old Can Get Free Childcare
A 2-year-old can also get free childcare if they:
- Are looked after by the local authority 🏡
- Have an EHC plan (Education, Health, and Care plan) 📝
- Get Disability Living Allowance ♿
- Left care through adoption, special guardianship, or a child arrangements order 👪
🌍 Immigration & Free Childcare
Even if your immigration status says “no recourse to public funds”, you might still get free childcare for your 2-year-old if:
- You live in England
- Your household income is no more than:
- £26,500 (outside London with 1 child)
- £30,600 (outside London with 2 children)
- You have less than £16,000 in savings or investments 💰
Note: You may still need to pay for extra things like meals, nappies, or trips. 🍼🍎🚌
📌 How to Apply
Ask your local childcare provider if they have free 15-hour places (or FEEE places) available. If yes, they will help you set it up.
🌟 Extra Free Hours (30 hours total)
Some 3- and 4-year-olds can get 15 more hours free — that’s 30 hours total per week. To get this, you (and your partner) must:
- Be working (or on parental or sick leave)
- Earn at least the same as 16 hours/week at national minimum wage
🚫 You can’t get this extra help if you’re from outside the EU and your UK residence card says “no access to public funds”.
💡 Other Help with Childcare Costs
You may also be able to get:
- 💷 Tax-Free Childcare
- 💰 Tax Credits for Childcare
🌐 Use this tool to see what help you can get: Childcare Costs Calculator
🌐 To find more about all types of support, visit the government’s website: Childcare Choices
This site will tell you:
- What help you can get ✅
- How to apply 📝
📞 Need Help Finding Childcare in Leeds?
You can contact the Family Information Service in Leeds:
📬 Address: PO Box 837, Family Information Service, Learning Systems, Leeds, LS1 9PZ
📞 Phone: 0113 378 9700 (Mon to Fri, 10am – 3.30pm)
📧 Email: [email protected]
