Funded childcare for foster carers

2. Eligibility

Eligibility is dependent on the foster carer's circumstances as detailed below for:

• 15 hours funded childcare for children aged 9 months to 23 months
• 30 hours extended childcare children aged 3 and 4 years old

Foster carers will usually be eligible if:

• accessing the funded hours of childcare is consistent with the child's care plan and
• foster carers (and partners, if they have one) are working outside of their role as a foster carer

There are no rules about the type of work or number of hours that foster carers must work. Work includes self-employment.

There is no minimum earnings limit for foster carers. The maximum income threshold is £100,000.

Two parent households

You will also meet the criteria for working foster carers in a two parent household if:

• both parents are foster carers and one is in paid employment and the other gets qualifying benefits
• one parent is a foster carer and in work and the partner is not a foster carer who either:
  • meets the ‘normal’ eligibility criteria parents have to meet
  • or can demonstrate they get qualifying benefits

For more information about normal eligibility and qualifying benefits see the eligibility information on GOV.UK.