Help with Childcare costs - 2 years old? 3 years old?

[user1465146157]

Hello
Is it correct that you get help with fees when they get to 2 years old?

Or is it 3?

Either way, can anyone shed light on when this happens, how much you get and how you apply for it?

Thanks

www.gov.uk/help-with-childcare-costs/free-childcare-2-year-olds

There are various government schemes depending on your circumstances (work/benefits etc). Take a look at this link.

thank you x

Everyone is entitled to 15hours 'Early Education Entitlement' funding from the term after they turn 3 - so it does depend when their birthday is. It also depends on you being able to find a Nursery that will be able to take you, for the hours you want. The funding the Nursery receive is lower (for every hour) than the fees they need to charge to operate as a business. Therefore Nurseries have to work out how to make that money up, and most Nurseries limit the number of funded places they offer, and many also say you can only use the hours in certain ways.
The 2 year funding is much more complicated and limited as to who meets the criteria (linked to above).
Separate from both of these, there are the 30 hours free childcare place for people who are at work. the same issues apply as for the 15hours Triplee though, s it isn't as straight forward as you might hope.