Free early learning

The following pages offer advice and guidance of childcare support and the funded early education places available in Barking & Dagenham.

Overview

The following pages offer advice and guidance of childcare support and the funded early education places available in Barking & Dagenham. 

Early Education and childcare support includes:

  • children aged nine months to four years, where parents are in work
  • two year olds, whose parents are claiming Universal Credit and either not in work or on a low household income
  • all three and four year olds will receive up to 15 hours of early education. For working parents this may rise to 30 hours per week using a term time place
  • Tax-Free Childcare helping working parents with childcare costs

Changes from September 2025 

Working parents of babies 9 month old to up to school age can get up to 30 hours a week free education and childcare from the term following their child turning 9 months old.

Working entitlement receiving codes and accessing a place

A child must have reached the relevant age (9 months, 2 years or 3 years) and obtained an eligible code by: To access a place in:

 

31 December

 

Spring term (from January)

 

31 March

 

Summer term (from April)

 

31 August

 

Autumn term (from September)

Visit the Childcare Choices website to find out what you may be eligible for and to sign up to the newsletter to get the latest updates about the early education and childcare support expansion.

Please remember you need to renew your code every 3 months to continue claiming the funding.