Funding for 2 year olds
Families with 2-year-old children who meet the criteria below can apply for funding for 2 year olds. Somerset Council will pay for a place for up to 570 hours over the year at a registered childcare provider. A maximum of 15 hours per week is available. Children become eligible in the funding period after their second birthday.
We will fund part-time early years entitlement places for 3 and 4 year olds starting from the funding period after the child’s third birthday. This is called the universal entitlement and you can access it through your childcare provider. Find out more about Early years entitlement.
How to apply
There is an online form which can be completed using the ‘Apply now’ button below. You can print out and post a copy of the form by clicking on the link in Downloads.
Apply for funding for 2 years olds
The funding periods are:
Spring 1 January to 31 March
Summer 1 April to 31 August
Autumn 1 September to 31 December
You can see more details about the entitlement on our Early Years Entitlement page.
Please see our Finding childcare page for more about what support is available.
Entitlement
Families who receive any of the following are entitled to funding for 2 year olds:
- Income Support (IS)
- Employment and Support Allowance (Income Related) – not Contribution related
- Income-based Job Seekers Allowance (IBJSA) – not Contribution based
- Guaranteed Element of State Pension Credit
- Support under Part VI of the Immigration and Asylum Act 1999
- Child Tax Credit with an annual taxable income (as assessed by HMRC) of less than £16,190
- Working Tax Credit 4-week run on – the payment you get when you stop qualifying for Working Tax Credit
- Universal Credit – if you and your partner have a combined income from work of less than £15,400 a year after tax
- Children who are 2 and attract Disability Living Allowance
- Children who are 2 and have an Education, Health and Care Plan
- Children who are 2 and are looked after by the Local Authority
- Children who are 2 and have been adopted, or who have left care through special guardianship or child arrangement orders
Evidence will only need to be sent without prior request if an application is made and the child qualifies by receiving Disability Living Allowance. In this case, a copy of the latest award letter from the Department for Work and Pensions will need to be submitted before the application can be processed. We recommend attaching the evidence to the form at the time of application. If you are submitting the application online, you can send a copy to freeschoolmeals@somerset.gov.uk or post a copy to Entitlements Team, County Hall, Taunton, TA1 4DY.
Non-Benefit related additional eligibility criteria
Children of families who don’t receive these benefits may also qualify for funding for 2 year olds if the family’s annual household income is no higher than the following:
• £26,500 for families with one child;
• £30,600 for families with two or more children.
In addition to these thresholds, families must hold no more than £16,000 in capital and savings.
And the parent or carer meets any of the following criteria:
• you are a Zambrano or Chen carer
• families who have no recourse to public funds with a right to remain in the UK on grounds of private and family life under Article 8 of the European Convention on Human Rights
• families receiving support under Section 17 of the Children Act 1989 who are also subject to a no recourse to public funds restriction
• a subset of failed asylum seekers supported under Section 4 of the Immigration and Asylum Act 1999
• you hold a British National (Overseas) – BN(O) – passport
• you are a spousal visa, work visa or student visa holder
• you have no immigration status.
If this applies to you, please complete this application form and return it with the appropriate evidence to fsm@somerset.gov.uk
Outcome
All applications will be processed within 5 to 10 working days. You will be notified of the outcome in writing and claims will not be backdated. If you are successful, you will be sent a list of approved providers and the date your child is eligible.
You will need to contact a provider from the list and check if they have an available place for your child. The provider will ask to see the letter and a copy of your child’s birth certificate or passport.
If you have been offered funding for 2 year olds, this will continue, even if your circumstances change, until your child can claim the Early Years Entitlement. You can get more information on our Early Years Entitlement page or by emailing eyfunding@somerset.gov.uk.
