You may be able to claim funded childcare for your two year old if you receive any of the following:
- income support
- income-based Jobseeker’s Allowance
- income-related Employment and Support Allowance
- Universal Credit, and your household income is £15,400 a year or less after tax, not including benefit payments
- the guaranteed element of Pension Credit
- Child Tax Credit, Working Tax Credit (or both), and your household income is £16,190 a year or less before tax
- the Working Tax Credit 4-week run on (the payment you get when you stop qualifying for Working Tax Credit)
Eligible two year olds can also get funded childcare if they:
- are looked after by a local authority
- have an Education, Health, and Care (EHC) plan
- get Disability Living Allowance
- have left care under an adoption order, special guardianship order or a child arrangement order
You can find the latest eligibility criteria online.
If you meet the criteria above, please use the Lincolnshire Parent Portal to apply for an eligibility code. If eligible, you will receive an eligibility code to give to your selected childcare provider. This is a six-digit code.
Funded childcare can normally be taken up to 15 hours per week over 38 weeks. Parents may also be able to stretch the funding further over the year, by using less hours per week. The maximum hours available is 570 hours per year.
Funding would start from the term after your child's second birthday.
| Child born between | Entitlement begins |
| 1 January to 31 March | Summer term from 1 April |
| 1 April to 31 August | Autumn term from 1 September |
| 1 September to 31 December | Spring term from 1 January |
Your two year old funding will cease at the start of the term after your child’s third birthday. At that time, your child will be eligible for universal three and four year old funding.
Providers may charge you for services purchased such as additional hours, meals, nappies, or trips.
Funded early education and childcare must be with an approved Ofsted registered early years provider. To find a childcare provider in your area, please visit the Family Services Directory.
Your childcare provider will ask you to provide evidence of your child's date of birth and to complete a parent declaration form to receive your universal funded childcare entitlement.
You may be able to use Tax-Free Childcare or Universal Credits whilst claiming your funded childcare support, find out more online.