Terrific Twos childcare funding

Families with a two-year-old might be able to receive 15 hours funded early education and childcare over 38 weeks which is 570 hours per year.

You can check eligibility on the Bradford Families Information website. https://fyi.bradford.gov.uk/early-education-and-childcare

Below is a list of reasons why you may be able to receive this:

Parent/carers receive:

• Universal Credit, and your household income is £15,400 a year or less after tax, not including benefit payments
• Income-based Jobseeker’s Allowance
• Income related Employment and Support Allowance
• The Guaranteed element of State Pension Credit

Or if the child:

• has an Education, Health and Care plan
• receives Disability Living Allowance
• is looked after by the local authority
• has left care - under adoption order, special guardianship order or child arrangement order

Or if your family:

• have no recourse to public funds (NRPF) and your yearly household income is no higher £26,500 for families with one child or £30,600 for families with two or more children.

Both parents must have NRPF and cannot have more than £16,000 in savings or investments.

How to apply - https://bso.bradford.gov.uk/Secure/SecureArea_FCK_Uploads/files/ECS/BRADFORD%20EARLY%20YEARS%20FUNDED%20HOURS%20PARENT%20AGREEMENT%20FORM%20MARCH%202026.pdf

Working parents funding:

If you are working and have a child aged between 9 months and 4 years old, you may be eligible to receive 30 hours funded early education and childcare over 38 weeks of the year.

What happens next?

The timescale for applications depends on the number of applications. This is managed by Childcare Choices, and the council is unable to deal with this. We would suggest that you apply at the earliest opportunity.

If your application has been approved, you’ll get an 11-digit code you will need to share with your chosen childcare provider, along with your National Insurance number and your child’s date of birth.

You'll need to confirm your details are up to date every 3 months. You will get reminders sent.

How to apply

You can check if you're eligible on the government website. https://www.gov.uk/free-childcare-if-working/check-youre-eligible

Things you need to be aware of before applying:

• You will need to set up a Government Gateway user ID and password, and this can take around 20 to 30 minutes.
• You will need your National Insurance Number or your Unique Taxpayer Reference (UTR), if you’re self-employed.
• The UK birth certificate reference number (if you have one) of any children you’re applying for.
• The date you started or are due to start work (this can be approximate if it’s more than 3 months ago.)

Three and four-year-olds

All parents of children aged three to four in England are entitled to 15 hours funded early education and childcare from the term after their child turns three.

This will be either on 1st January, 1st April, or 1st September.

The hours are usually taken as 15 hours a week for 38 weeks of the year. You can choose to take fewer hours over more weeks (stretched offer).

How to apply - https://bso.bradford.gov.uk/Secure/SecureArea_FCK_Uploads/files/ECS/BRADFORD%20EARLY%20YEARS%20FUNDED%20HOURS%20PARENT%20AGREEMENT%20FORM%20MARCH%202026.pdf

50 Things to do before you’re 5 - https://www.50thingstodo.org/

Families and Young Person Information - https://fyi.bradford.gov.uk/