Free early education entitlement

All three and four year olds can get a maximum of 15 hours of free early education a week until they start reception or reach compulsory school age (if later).

You can get this free childcare from the term after your child’s third birthday until they reach reception class (or compulsory school age, if later).

You can use the free entitlement:

• over no more than 10 hours per day, between 6am and 8pm
• over no less than 38 weeks a year

The free entitlement can be used at any Southwark approved childcare provider.

You should secure your free place before the start of the term you'd like your child to start. 

Your childcare provider will claim the cost of your child’s free entitlement place directly from Southwark Council. 

No money is passed to parents or carers.
 

You can get free childcare if you’re working and your child is aged two, three and four years old.  

The amount of free childcare you can get depends on:

• your child’s age and circumstances
• whether you’re working (employed, self-employed, or a director)
• your income (and your partner’s income, if you have one)
• your immigration status

The number of hours per week of free childcare you can get depends on the age of your child. 

If your child is:

• two years old, you can get 15 hours free childcare over no fewer than 38 weeks a year from the term after their second birthday
• three to four years old, you can get 30 hours free childcare over no fewer than 38 weeks a year from the term after their third birthday

Check on GOV.UK if you're eligible for free childcare if you're working.

You will not be eligible if your child does not usually live with you.

Your child cannot attend the childcare setting for more than 10 hours per day, between 6am and 8pm.

How to apply

You’ll need a childcare account on GOV.UK.

Register or sign in to your childcare account with your Government Gateway user name and password. 

Apply for your working parent entitlement before the start of the term you'd like your child to start. 

Otherwise, your child will not be able to access their free hours until the following term.

How it works

If your application has been approved, you’ll get an eligibility code to give to your chosen approved provider.

Secure your free place with the provider before the start of the term you'd like your child to start.  

You need to reconfirm with HMRC every three months that you're still eligible. HMRC will remind you. During this time, your child will still be able to keep their free place.

Foster carers

Foster carers can get free childcare for children in their care if:

• you're a single foster parent and you’re in paid work outside of your fostering responsibilities
• you're a two foster parent family and both of you are in paid work outside of your fostering responsibilities. If one partner is not a foster parent they must be in qualifying paid work and earn a minimum of the equivalent of 16 hours at the minimum or living wage
• accessing the free hours is consistent with the child’s care plan

You can email earlylearninginfo@southwark.gov.uk if you want to apply for working parent entitlement as a foster carer.

Get help

If you don’t have access to the internet or you need help completing your online application, contact the HMRC Childcare Service Customer Interaction Centre on 0300 123 4097.
 

Some two year olds can get up to 15 hours of free early education per week until the term after their third birthday.

To get this free childcare, parents or carers will need to 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, not including 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)

You can also get free childcare if the two year old:

• is looked after by a council 
• has an education, health and care plan (EHCP)
• gets Disability Living Allowance
• has left care under an adoption order, special guardianship order or a child arrangements order

The free entitlement can be taken over no more than 10 hours per day, between the hours of 6am and 8pm. 

It must start from the term after your child’s second birthday.

It can be used at any Southwark approved childcare provider.

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 be able to get a free early education place for your two year old. 

You must live in England and your household income must be no more than:

• £26,500 for families outside of London with one child
• £34,500 for families within London with one child
• £30,600 for families outside of London with two or more children
• £38,600 for families within London with two or more children

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

Email earlylearninginfo@southwark.gov.uk if you want to apply.

How to claim free entitlement

If you're eligible, take a copy of your confirmation message with your reference number to your chosen provider.

Secure your free place before the start of the term you'd like your child to start. There is a deadline for when your child can start their free place. Ask your childcare provider when this date is.

Your childcare provider will claim the cost of your child’s free entitlement place directly from us. No money is passed to parents or carers. You may be charged a refundable deposit to secure your childcare place.