Free Childcare Eligibility

[SamBl1987]

Hi, hope someone can help explain when we might be eligible for the free 15/30 hours free Childcare.

I work full time, wife is a full time carer receiving carers allowance for looking after one of her parents, son is in nursery 5 days a week currently which we pay for.

Son was born 11th June 2022.

We receive no other benefits, nor are we eligible (I don't think). But just struggling to understand the new rules and when we could get the free hours and whether a carer is classed as a "working parent".

Thanks in advance 🙂

Bumping for you.

Look at www.childcarechoices.gov.uk It explains the current rules and what the changes to the rules will be from April 2024.

Contact your local authority. Surrey County Council (my local authority) has guidance saying that if one parent is employed and one is getting Carer's Allowance, then that MAY mean eligible for 30 hours funding.

But that guidance is for funding from age 3. So your child would not be eligible until September 2025.
https://www.surreycc.gov.uk/children/support-and-advice/families/childcare/paying/30-hours-funded-childcare-for-working-parents#2

At the moment, I think you may be eligible for Tax-Free Childcare scheme. https://www.gov.uk/tax-free-childcare

Your child will be 2 in June 2024 so you may be eligible for 15 hours from September 2024.
As someone else has quoted, the guidance is that you may be eligible if one parent works and the other receives carers support.
I would suggest you apply when your child turns 2 to see if you are eligible.

This, but 2 year funding would be if the household income (ie your working wage) is less than £16k per year.

No. The entitlements are changing from April.
Working parents of 2 year olds who earn at least 16 hours at minimum wage and no more than £100k a year will be eligible for 15 hours from April 2024.