Poorer families may not benefit as 30 hours free childcare begins in England, experts say

Parents must earn over £9,518 to be entitled to 30 hours free childcare for a child under two, but the government says support is available for disadvantaged children. Photograph: Leila Cutler/Alamy

Disadvantaged children who stand to benefit most from early years education are at risk of missing out, experts have warned, as the final stage of the rollout of the government’s funded childcare scheme gets under way in England.

From Monday, working parents who earn up to £100,000 a year will be entitled to 30 hours free childcare a week during term time for children from the age of nine months until they start school.