From April 2024, working parents in England will be able to access 15 hours per week childcare for 2-year-olds, which is funded by the UK government. However, some families with no recourse to public funds will not be able to benefit from the new scheme.
Currently, working parents can access 30 hours per week of free childcare for 3 and 4-year-old children, and tax-free childcare for children aged 11 and under (or 16 and under if the child is disabled). From September, 15 hours per week of free childcare will be extended to children aged 9 months to 3 years.
Qualifying requirements
In order to qualify for the funded hours, the parent(s) must meet employment and income requirements, and the parent who makes the application must meet a residence requirement. For details of the full requirements, see our information about childcare for working parents.
The residence requirement will be met when a parent has:
- British or Irish citizenship
- Settled or pre-settled status granted under the EU Settlement Scheme
- A pending EU Settlement Scheme application
- Immigration permission that allows access to public funds, such as indefinite leave to remain or refugee leave
A parent who has leave to remain with a 'No Recourse to Public Funds' (NRPF) condition cannot apply for the funded childcare hours but can be included in an application that is made by a partner who does meet the residence requirement.
When a single parent has leave to remain with NRPF, or both parents in a household have leave to remain with NRPF, the family will not be able to access the funded hours for working parents or tax-free childcare, even if they meet the employment and income requirements.
Impact on families with NRPF
Families who have leave to remain with NRPF already experience significant financial pressures due to being unable to access Universal Credit and other benefits when they have a low income. They also have to pay high fees in order to renew their leave to remain. Such families have not been able to access 30 hours free childcare for 3 and 4-year-olds or tax-free childcare. It will therefore continue to be challenging for parents to support their families through employment alone if they cannot access these and the new childcare schemes. Therefore, we have recommended that all working parents are able to access 30 hours free childcare for 3 and 4-year-olds, tax-free childcare, and the new childcare schemes.
15-hours free childcare for disadvantaged 2-year-olds continues to be available to families with no recourse to public funds if they have a low income or are receiving Home Office asylum support, or if a child has additional needs. 3 and 4-year-old children can also continue to access 15 hours per week of free childcare, regardless of their or their parent's immigration status.