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Free Early Education for two year olds in Kent is known as the Free for Two Scheme (FF2).

This is not a universal offer - parents/providers must apply for it, but this can be done at any time and, if successful, the child can start straight away.  A child’s eligibility is based on whether the family receive one of the following benefits or credits:

• Income Support
• Income-based Job Seeker’s Allowance (JSA)
• Income related Employment and Support Allowance (ESA)
• Universal Credit, and your household income is £15,400 a year or less after tax, not including benefit payments
• tax credits, and your household income is £16,190 a year or less before tax
• The guaranteed element of Pension Credit
• Support through Part 6 of the Immigration and Asylum Act
• The Working Tax Credit 4-week run on (the payment parents receive when they stop qualifying for Working Tax Credit)

A child can also receive Free Early Education and Childcare if any of the following apply:

• The child is looked after by a LA
• The child has a current statement of special education needs (SEN) or and education, health and care (EHC) plan
• The child is in receipt of Disability Living Allowance (DLA)
• The child is no longer looked after by the LA, as a result of an adoption order, a special guardianship order or a child arrangement order

If you’re a non-EEA citizen who cannot claim benefits

Your 2-year-old may get free childcare if you are getting support under the Immigration and Asylum Act and have either:

• claimed asylum in the UK and are waiting for a decision (known as ‘part 6’)
• been refused asylum in the UK (known as ‘section 4’)

A 2-year-old you care for may also get free childcare if your household income is £15,400 a year or less after tax, and you have any of the following:

• leave to remain with ‘no recourse to public funds’ on family or private life grounds
• support from your local council because you have ‘a child in need’, for example they have a disability or a child protection plan
• the right to live in the UK because you’re the main carer of a British citizen (known as a ‘Zambrano Carer’)

Check with your local council if you’re unsure if you can get free childcare.