- By Lucy Gilder & Vanessa Clarke
- BBC News
Working parents in England can start applying for 15 hours of funded childcare for their two-year-old from 2 January.
The plans, first announced in the 2023 Spring Budget, are being introduced to help with the high costs of childcare.
From April, working parents of two-year-olds will get 15 hours per week during term time, with children from nine months included from September.
The expansion should have fully rolled out by September 2025.
Who is eligible for 30 hours of free childcare, and how does it work?
It is available for households where the parent or parents earn at least £8,670 a year, but less than £100,000.
- April 2024: eligible two-year-olds will be entitled to 15 hours of childcare per week during term time
- September 2024: eligible children from nine months will get 15 hours of childcare per week during term time
- September 2025: eligible pre-school children between nine months and school age will get 30 hours of childcare per week during term time
Applications for the first phase have opened, but…
