From September 2025, Minet Infant and Nursery School will be offering free part-time places for 2 year olds. Children can attend a morning or afternoon session. The timings of the sessions each day will be:

• Morning sessions: 8.30-11.30am
• Afternoon sessions: 12.15-3.15pm 

If you would like your 2-year old to attend the nursery and they are eligible for a free place, please contact the school by completing the contact form below and the school will be in touch with you to arrange their place. 

Eligibility Criteria

There are two schemes where parents/ carers might be eligible for free 2-year old education and care:

• There is a scheme for working parents/ carers
• And a scheme for parents/ carers who claim certain benefits

Eligibility criteria for working parents/ carers:

To be eligible for the working parents/ carers scheme, you and any partner you live with must each:

• Earn less than £100,000 each year. 
• Over the next 3 months you and your partner (if you have one), must each expect to earn at least:
  • £2,539 before tax if you’re aged 21 or over (equivalent to £195 per week)
  • £2,080 before tax if you’re aged 18 to 20 (equivalent to £160 per week)
  • £1,570 before tax if you’re under 18 or an apprentice (equivalent to £120 per week)

This is the National Minimum Wage or Living Wage for 16 hours a week on average.

You and your partner might still qualify if you are on maternity, paternity or adoption leave. You may also be eligible if you cannot work due to a disability or are caring for someone. 

If you are eligible, you will get an 11-digit code which you need to give to the school when applying for a place for your 2 year old. To keep getting a free space, you must reconfirm your eligibility every 3 months before the next term starts.

For further information, to check your eligibility and to get the 11-digit code, please click here.

Eligibility criteria for parents/ carers you claim certain benefits:

Your 2-year old can get free education and care if you get any of the following benefits:

• Income Support
• income-based Jobseeker’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
• the guaranteed element of Pension Credit

If your immigration status says you have 'no recourse to public funds', you may still get 15 hours for your 2 year old. You must live in England and your household income must be no more than:

• £34,500 for families within London with one child
• £38,600 for families within London with two or more children

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

Further information and to apply for 2-year old funding through Hillingdon Council if you receive benefits, please click here. 

When your child can start

If eligible, your child can begin their funded place from the term after they turn 2. Check the table below, which show this: