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
- earning 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 £100, 000 or more in a year. You can’t use Tax-Free Childcare at the same time as:
- Universal Credit
- tax credits
- 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:
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.