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Help with childcare costs

Who provides the childcare?

Parents can use Tax Free Childcare, Universal Credit for childcare and tax credits for childcare to help pay:
  • Ofsted registered childminders, nurseries and nannies
  • Ofsted registered after-school clubs and playschemes
  • Ofsted registered schools
  • Home care workers working for a registered home care agency

Apply for Tax-Free Childcare (Opens in New Window)

You can get Tax Free Childcare for each child aged 0-16 if disabled (0-11years if not).
If your child is disabled for every £8 you pay in the government will add £2. That’s up to £4,000 per child per year, £1,000 every three months, that the government will add to your account. (there are different rates for a child who is not disabled)
To be eligible your child should:
  • get Disability Living Allowance, Personal Independence Payment or Armed Forces Independence Payment
  • be certified as blind or severely sight-impaired
You, and any partner should each be earning under £100k and expect to earn (on average) at least £142 per week (equal to 16 hours at the National Minimum or Living Wage).

If you, or your partner, are on maternity, paternity or adoption leave, or you're unable to work because you are disabled or have caring responsibilities, you could still be eligible.

You can get Tax-Free Childcare at the same time as 30 hours free childcare if you’re eligible for both.

You cannot get Tax-Free Childcare at the same time as claiming Working Tax Credit, Child Tax Credit, Universal Credit or childcare vouchers. Which scheme you’re better off with depends on your situation. Use the childcare calculator to work out which type of support is best for you.

You can use the extra Tax-Free Childcare money you get to help pay for extra hours of childcare. You can also use it to help pay your childcare provider so they can get specialist equipment for your child such as mobility aids. Talk to them about what equipment your child can get.

Universal credit for childcare

If you are a working family on Universal Credits you could get up to 85% of your childcare paid for. The childcare cost element in Universal Credit is paid up to the end of August following the child's 16th birthday.

For more information speak to your Universal Credit Advisor or visit www.childcarechoices.gov.uk

Tax credits for childcare

Tax credits are closed to new applications for the majority of people from 1 February 2019. You may be able to apply for Universal Credit instead.

If you are an existing tax credits customer, you can claim back up to 70% of your eligible childcare costs for children under 17 with a disability (16 years without a disability).

See www.childcarechoices.gov.uk for further details.

Help with childcare costs whilst you study

You could get weekly payments through Care to Learn if you're under 20 at the start of a publicly-funded course, such as a school or sixth form.

You can apply for Discretionary Learner Support to pay for childcare if you're 19 or over and in further education, for example, if you're studying for an NVQ, BTEC or PGCE.

You can apply for a Childcare Grant if you're in full-time higher education to pay for childcare costs for children under 17 if they have special needs (15 if no SEN)