Information for Parents and Guardians

Two Year Old Free Entitlement

Who is it for?

The Deputy Prime Minister has announced the criteria to double eligibility from 2014, to offer funded places to around 260,000 two-year-olds. From September 2014, a two-year-old will be eligible if they meet any one of the following criteria:

•Their families receive Working Tax credits and have annualgross earnings of no more than £16,190 per year;

•They have a current statement of SEN or an Education, Health and Care plan;

•They attract Disability Living Allowance;

•They are looked after by the Local Authority

•They have left care through special guardianship or an adoption or residence order.

•Their families receive support under Part VI of the Immigration and Asylum Act 1999

•Their families receive Child Tax Credit but not Working Tax Credit (except during the 4 weeks immediately after their employment ceases, or after starting to work less than 16 hours per week) and household income does not exceed £16,190

•Their families receive the Guaranteed element of State Pension Credit

This is assessed by checking through a Department for Work & Pensions and Her Majesty’s Revenues & Customs checking system. Rochdale Borough Councilhas no influence over the outcome of this checking process.

I think I meet one or more of the list above, what do I do?

If you think you meet any of these, then please fully complete the application form and take it to a provider of your choice. If they have vacancies and are able to offer a place, they will fill in their part of the application and send it to Sure Start, who will confirm if you are eligible. Your provider will tell you when your free place will start.You can also apply online, through Rochdale Council’s website on the “Early Years Education” page

How do you check eligibility?

The application form asks for the Parent/Guardians Date of Birth and National Insurance Number. Please enter both parents’ details if and where possible. Any applications that do not have theparent’s date of birth and national insurance number cannot be processed, so please double check you have entered these correctly on the form.

These are used to check eligibility through a Government system. This does not tell us any information about you, or any personal information, it simply says this person is eligible or this person is not eligible. We repeat that applications which do not have this information cannot be considered.

What happens to the form afterwards?

We do not retain the information relating to your DOB or NI number, we will not pass this to, or share this with, any other department of the Council or Government.

What if I think I do qualify but your system says I don’t?

If you feel that you do qualify for a place under the above criteria but have been refused a place, please contact the Flexible Entitlement Team on 01706 927823 who will re – check your application.

If you have a NASS Identification Card, please provide proof of this. If you have a letter from the Department of Work and Pensions (DWP),Form TC602, please submit a copy of this, as it will state on it what DWP have assessed your family income as.

We regret that at this point if you are unable to give a copy of form TC602 or your application is again declined by the eligibility checker you cannot be offered a place.

What else do I need to know?

Completing an application is not a guarantee of a place. We cannot guarantee that places will be available at your first choice provider and all places are subject to availability. If you need help you may contact the Family Information Service on 01706 719900 who will try and help you identify providers.

TWO YEAR OLD ENTITLEMENT

To help you determine if and when your child can access a free two year old entitlement place, please look at the table below to see when your child might qualify for a place.

You child turns two / May be able to start a place in
Between
1st January and 31st December / January
Between
1st April and 31st March / April
Between
1st September and 31st August / September

Please remember that eligibility criteria for places do apply and that completing an application form is not a guarantee of a place. All places are subject to availability.