Does my child qualify for 30 hours Free Childcare?

A child qualifies for free additional childcare (ie. additional 15 hours) if they are a resident in England and under compulsory school age, and:

*   both parents are working (or the sole parent is working in a lone parent family), and each parent earns, on average a weekly minimum equivalent to 16 hours at national minimum wage (NMW) or national living wage (NLW); and less than £100,000 per year.

Parent means a person who has parental responsibility for the child or care of the child.  In cases where a parent has remarried or is living with a partner, the step-parent or partner must also meet the earning threshold.

Working includes employed persons, self-employed persons and parents on zero hours contracts who meet the criteria.

Families where one parent does not work (or neither parent works) will not usually be eligible for the extended entitlement.  

However, the extended entitlement will be available where:

*  both parents are employed but one (or both parents) is temporarily away from the workplace on parental, maternity or paternity leave;

*  both parents are employed but one  (or both parents) is temporarily away from the workplace on adoption leave;

*  both parents are employed but one  (or both parents) is temporarily away from the workplace on statutory sick pay;

*  one parent is employed and one parent has substantial caring responsibilities based on specific benefits received for caring; or

* one parent is employed and one parent is disabled or incapacitated based on receipt of specific benefits.

The above information is taken for the Early Education and Childcare Statutory Guidance for Local Authorities March 2016.