Howard Street Nursery

Eligibility and Criteria 

You may be entitled to free childcare if you live in England and meet any of the criteria below:

If you’re in receipt of any 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.
• The guaranteed element of Pension Credit.
• Home Office Asylum Support under part 6 of the Immigration and Asylum Act 1999.

If you’re a non-UK citizen who cannot claim benefits:

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

• £26,500 for families outside of London with one child.
• £30,600 for families outside of London with two or more children.

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

If you’re a working family:

• Both parents (and the sole parent in a lone parent family) must be working.
• Each parent must earn a minimum equivalent to 16 hours per week at the National Minimum Wage or National Living Wage.
• Neither parent can have an income exceeding £100,000 per year.
• Working is classed as being in paid work, being temporarily away on parental, maternity, or adoption leave, or receiving statutory sick pay.
• One parent can be eligible even if they are not working, but have substantial caring roles based on specific benefits or are disabled/incapacitated and receive specific benefits. 

*NOTE: You must apply for your eligibility code by either 31^st August, 31^st December or 31^st March to be eligible for the funding the term after your child turns 2.

To apply for 30 hours, visit the Childcare Gov Website here.

After you’ve applied

• You’ll usually find out if you’re eligible straight away, but it can take up to 7 days.
• Once your application has been approved you’ll get an 11-digit code, this must be provided to your child’s nursery and reconfirmed every 3 months.

Children are also entitled to a place if:

• They are looked after by a Local Authority or they have left care under a special guardianship order, child arrangements order or adoption order
• They have an Education, Health Care Plan (EHCP).
• They receive Disability Living Allowance (DLA).

When does your eligibility begin:

The date from when your entitlement to funding begins, depends on the date your child's birthday falls on. 

Birthday between:

• 1st April & 31st August - Beginning of the Autumn Term (September onwards).
• 1st September & 31st December - Beginning of the Spring Term (January onwards).
• 1st January - 31st March - Beginning of the Summer Term (April onwards).