Free For Two (FF2) Funding - Disadvantaged Two-Year-Olds

Funding Overview Guide

Up to fifteen hours free childcare for some 2-year-olds

Provision of free early education places for 2-year-olds is known in Kent as the Free for 2 or 'FF2' scheme.

We have a duty to provide eligible 2-year-olds up to 570 hours of free early education a year over 38 weeks of the year term time or up to 48 weeks stretched funding.

Eligibility

If a family is in receipt of certain benefits (listed below), they may be able to get up to 15 hours over 38 weeks a year or 12 hours over 48 weeks a year (stretched) free childcare for their two-year-old.

A child is entitled to a funded place if the family is in receipt of:

Income Support
income-based Jobseeker’s Allowance (JSA)
income-related Employment and Support Allowance (ESA)
Universal Credit, and the household income is £15,400 a year or less after tax, not including benefit payments
Child Tax Credits, and the household income is £16,190 a year or less before tax
the guaranteed element of Pension Credit
the Working Tax Credit 4-week run on (the payment when they stop qualifying for Working Tax Credit).

2-year-olds can also get a place if:

they’re looked after by a local council;
they have a current statement of special education needs (SEN) or an education health and care plan;
they get Disability Living Allowance; or
they’ve left care under a special guardianship order, adoption order, child arrangements order or residence order.

If the family are a non-UK citizen who cannot claim benefits

If their immigration status says they have ‘no recourse to public funds’, they may still get free childcare for your 2-year-old. They must live in England and their household income must be no more than:

£26,500 for families outside of London with one child
£34,500 for families within London with one child
£30,600 for families outside of London with two or more children
£38,600 for families within London with two or more children

They cannot have more than £16,000 in savings or investments.

Further information on 2-year-old free childcare eligibility can be found on the GOV.UK website

Eligible children can start claiming in the term after they turn two, depending on when their birthday is.

Child's 2nd birthday	When they can claim from
1 January to 31 March	the beginning of term on or after 1 April
1 April to 31 August	the beginning of term on or after 1 September
1 September to 31 December	the beginning of term on or after 1 January

Kent County Council's website has full information on how to apply for free early education for 2 year olds

To support parents for the non-UK Citizen Criteria who cannot claim benefits; parents will need to use the below application. Please use the guidance to support parent applications under this criteria .

FF2 Non UK Citizen NRPF Application (PDF, 197.8 KB)

NRPF Guidance September 2022 (PDF, 195.0 KB)

Help applying for FF2

FF2 FAQ's (PDF, 224.0 KB)

FF2 Scheme Guidance

Information for Parents and Carers, Early Years Providers, Eligible Childminders and Children's Centres can be found by following the links below:

How to submit a FF2 claim

Please log on to the Synergy FIS Provider Portal to submit claims. Please use the guidance below to navigate your way through the portal:

Parental declaration

Funding Calendar and Payment Schedule

2024/25

2025/26

Kent Provider Agreement

The first few years of a child's life is crucially important to their development. Kent County Council are working with providers across the county to make Free Early Education and Childcare for 9 months to 4 year olds easily accessible. The Kent Provider Agreement provides a framework which outlines the mutual commitments on delivering the entitlements.

We have updated our Kent Provider Agreement to reflect the changes in the statutory guidance published by the Department of Education. Please log in to your FIS Provider Portal to sign the latest version of the agreement.

Please note, you must sign the Kent Provider Agreement to claim Free Early Education and Childcare funding from summer terms 2024 onwards.

2 Year old Working Parents Entitlement funding

Visit The Working Parents Entitlement page for full details and to validate codes

3 and 4 year old funding

Visit the 3 and 4 year old funding page for full details or email any queries to miearlyyears@kent.gov.uk.

Statutory Guidance

The Department for Education's Early Education document (PDF, 538.9 KB) contains statutory guidance from the Department for Education for English local authorities on their duties under sections 6, 7, 7A, 9A, 12 and 13 of the Childcare Act 2006. Local authorities must have regard to this guidance when seeking to discharge those duties.

Contact us

Contact a member of Management Information which manages the FF2 Scheme in Kent by email at miearlyyears@kent.gov.uk.

Some of the files on this page may not be suitable for users of assistive technology. See our accessibility statement for information on how to request an alternative format.