2-Year-Old 15 Hour Funding 

Almost a quarter of families in Waltham Forest with a 2-year-old can claim 15 hours of Free Early Education Entitlement (FEEE) per week during term time. We are an Outstanding provider, so we are able to offer this funding.

Your 2-year-old will be eligible if you receive one of the following benefits:

• Income Support
• Income-based Jobseeker's Allowance (JSA)
• Income-related Employment and Support Allowance (ESA)
• Universal Credit, and your household income is £15,400.00 a year or less after tax
• The guaranteed element of Pension Credit
• Child Tax Credit, Working Tax Credit (or both), and your household income is £16,190.00 a year or less before tax
• The Working Tax Credit 4 week run on 

If you are not in receipt of benefits, your 2-year-old could still qualify if they:

• Have an Education, Health and Care Plan (EHCP Plan)
• Get Disability Living Allowance (DLA)
• Are looked after by a local authority if they have left care under a spacial guardianship order, child arrangement order or adoption order in England or Wales.

Our Funding Offer for 2-Year-Olds

At Woodside, we offer this funding in two ways:

• Families who take up 15 hours funding only will be entitled to 15 hours each week and this is either a morning session (8:30am-11:30am), or an afternoon session (12:30pm-3:30pm).  This is term-time-only and the child will not be able to attend during the school holiday periods.
• Families who have eligible funding but take up wrap-around daycare (8:00am-6:00pm) will have this funding stretched across the year (50 weeks) and this means that the equivalent is 11.5 hours over the 50 weeks.

From 1st September 2025

Following the Government Budget announcement, all children from 9 months will be able to receive nursery funding.  All families with children who attend day care will automatically have the stretched funding applied. This means they will benefit from a reduced fee payment each month as we will claim the additional funds from Waltham Forest Council.

Changes to Government Childcare Funding in 2025-2026

From 1st September 2025, all eligible children aged from 9 months to school age may be entitled to receive 30 hours of funded childcare.

2-Year-Old Funding Information Waltham Forest

3 & 4-Year-Old Funding Offer

All 3–4-year-olds are entitled to Free Early Education Entitlement automatically.  You do not need to apply for the universal 15 hours of free childcare for your child. We will claim the funding on your behalf directly from Waltham Forest Council.

All 3 and 4-year-olds are entitled to 570 hours of free early education per year. It’s usually taken as 15 hours per week over 39 weeks of the year (split into three terms).

For families who take up daycare, we stretch this funding over the year (50 weeks) the free hours will be spread equally over those weeks. Families who are entitled to 15 hours funding will receive the equivalent of 11 hours per week.  For families who receive 30 hours of funding, you will receive the equivalent of 23 hours per week.  This will automatically be adjusted in your fees per month.

Free Early Education Entitlement for 3-4's Waltham Forest

Applying for Childcare in Waltham Forest

walthamforest.gov.uk/childcare

walthamforest.gov.uk/beststartinlife

childcarechoices.gov.uk

E-mail: childcare@walthamforest.gov.uk

Waltham Forest Helpline: 020 8496 3566

HMRC Helpline for 30 Hours: 0300 123 4097

Tax-Free Childcare 

Tax-Free Childcare is a UK government initiative designed to help working parents with the cost of childcare.

For every 80p you (or someone else) pays in, the government will top up an extra 20p. This is equivalent of the tax most people per annum.

You can get up to £500 every 3 months (up to £2,000 a year) for each of your children to help with the costs of childcare. This goes up to £1,000 every 3 months if a child is disabled (up to £4,000 a year).

If you get Tax-Free Childcare, you’ll set up an online childcare account for your child. For every £8 you pay into this account, the government will pay in £2 to use to pay your provider.

You can get Tax-Free Childcare at the same time as 30 hours free childcare if you’re eligible for both.

Your eligibility depends on:

• If you’re working (employed, self-employed, or both)
• Your income (and your partner’s income, if you have one)
• Your child’s age and circumstances
• Your immigration status

If you are working

You can usually get Tax-Free Childcare if you (and your partner, if you have one) are:

• In work
• On sick leave or annual leave
• On shared parental, maternity, paternity or adoption leave, and you’re going back to work within 31 days of the date you first applied

If you are not currently working

You may still be eligible if your partner is working, and you get Incapacity Benefit, Severe Disablement Allowance, Carer’s Allowance or contribution-based Employment and Support Allowance.

You can apply if you’re starting or re-starting work within the next 31 days.

Tax-Free Childcare Information