From the start of September, children as young as nine months have been eligible for funded childcare in England. This second stage of the roll-out of new childcare entitlements will see children under age 2 receiving the ‘free entitlement’ to a part-time childcare place, covering up to 15 hours a week 38 weeks of the year.
All 3 and 4 year-olds are already eligible for a part-time childcare place, and those whose parents are in paid work can get up to 30 hours a week of free childcare.
Since April this year, the part-time entitlement has been extended to 2 year-olds in working families (in addition to a pre-existing entitlement for the roughly 25% most disadvantaged 2-year-olds, whether their parents work or not). The September 2024 change has extended part-time eligibility to younger children aged 9 months and up, before these ‘working families’ entitlements double to 30 hours a week in September 2025.
Check what help you could get with childcare costs here: https://www.gov.uk/childcare-calculator
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