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  • Breadcrumb

    1. Home
    2. Family, home and community
    3. Parenting and childcare
    4. Childcare

    Help paying for approved childcare

    If you work and your children are under 12, you might be eligible for Tax-Free Childcare. This can help pay for approved childcare.

    Approved childcare

    You can get help to pay for approved childcare provided by:

    • a registered childminder, play scheme, nursery or club
    • a school registered to provide childcare
    • an approved home childcarer

    'Approved' means the childcare setting is registered with and inspected by one of the Health and Social Care Trusts.

    Tax-Free childcare

    If you're a working parent or self-employed with children under 12 (under 17 for children with disabilities), you can open an online account to pay for approved childcare.  You can only get help paying the childcare provider if they’re already in the Tax-Free childcare scheme.

    The government tops-up the money you pay into the childcare account.

    For every £8.00 you pay in, the government adds £2.00  to your account. You can receive up to £2,000 for each child - that's up to £500 every three months. You can receive up to £4,000 for a child with a disability. That's up to £1,000 every three months.

    Parents eligible for Tax-Free Childcare

    To get Tax-Free Childcare, you and your partner must be:

    • working or getting parental leave, sick leave or annual leave
    • you and your partner, if you have one, must each expect to earn at least the National Minimum Wage or Living Wage for 16 hours a week

    Parents not eligible for Tax-Free Childcare

    You can't get Tax-Free Childcare if you or your partner earn over £100, 000 or more in a year. You can’t use Tax-Free Childcare at the same time as:

    • Universal Credit
    • childcare vouchers 

    Childcare vouchers

    Childcare voucher schemes closed to new people on 4 October 2018. If you were in the scheme before this date and your employer continues the scheme, you can keep getting the vouchers. 

    Universal Credit does not help towards any childcare cost payments made using childcare vouchers.  If childcare costs are more than the value of the vouchers, claimants can apply for Universal Credit help towards the additional amount.

    Applying for Tax-Free Childcare

    To apply online for Tax-Free Childcare, go to:

    • Apply for Tax-Free- Childcare

    Northern Ireland Childcare Subsidy Scheme

    The Northern Ireland Childcare Subsidy Scheme (NICSS) aims to reduce the childcare costs of eligible working parents by 15 per cent for all qualifying children.  

    Parents must be claiming Tax-Free Childcare to receive the new Northern Ireland Childcare Subsidy.  Universal Credit claimants are not eligible for help with childcare costs under the Northern Ireland Childcare Subsidy Scheme.

    More useful links

    • Employers For Childcare
    • Childcare calculator
    • Childcare Choices
    • Family Support NI
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    Childcare

    • Childcare benefits and other help for working parents
    • Childcare for a child with disabilities
    • Choosing childcare
    • Early Years Teams
    • Help paying for approved childcare
    • Types of childcare

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