Universal Credit payments for children and childcare

If you have children

You must tell Universal Credit if your child is going to continue in full-time non-advanced education or approved training after the age of 16. This is so you can continue to receive the additional amount for children and the disabled child addition, if appropriate.

If your child is 16 or over

By the end of July each year you’ll get a journal message in your Universal Credit account explaining what you’ll need to do.

For further information speak with your work coach.

Children born before 6 April 2017

Your Universal Credit payment may include a child element for each child in your household born before 6 April 2017.

Children born on or after 6 April 2017

The UK Government’s two-child policy means that for children born on or after 6 April 2017, the child element will only apply if they are your first or second child, or if any of the following special circumstances apply to them.

Exceptions to the two-child policy

Part of a multiple birth

If you have a third or subsequent child by multiple birth after 6 April 2017, you will be able to get the child element for all but one of those children.

For further information go to Two Child limit

Adopted

You can get an extra amount of Universal Credit for any child you adopt through the Health and Social Care Trust. This extra amount will usually apply from the date you became responsible for the adopted child.

Children living with family, friends or non-parental caring arrangements

You may get a child element if you have a formal arrangement in place for caring for a child who is not yours (for example, if you have been appointed by a court as legally responsible for the child or young person).

If you have an informal arrangement in place you may still get a child element. You and your social worker must fill in Form IC1NI(IS) and return it to the Department for Communities Exceptions Team.

If a child under 16 who you are responsible for has a child, you may get a child element for their child.

Children likely conceived from a non-consensual sexual act

You may get a child element for a third or subsequent child who is likely to have been conceived as a result of a sexual act you did not, or could not, consent to.

This includes children conceived around a time when you were suffering from domestic abuse by the other parent of the child.

To get this child element you must not be living with the other biological parent of the child. You will be asked to confirm this.

If you have a child with disabilities or severe disabilities

As well as the standard allowance and the child element, if you have a disabled child or children, you may get an extra monthly payment.

There are two rates of payment.

Lower rate, which is £158.76 a month, is paid for a child who receives:

• the mobility or care part of Disability Living Allowance (any rate except the highest rate of the care part)
• a Personal Independence Payment

Higher rate

The higher rate, which is £495.87 is paid for a child who:

• is blind or has severe loss of vision
• receives the highest rate of the care part of Disability Living Allowance
• receives the enhanced rate of Personal Independence Payment daily living part

You must tell Universal Credit if your child is going to continue in full-time non-advanced education or approved training after the age of 16. This is so you can continue to receive the additional amount for children and the disabled child addition if appropriate.

For further information speak with your work coach.

Who can get help with childcare costs

To get help with childcare costs, you (or you and your partner in joint claims) must be in work, self-employed or about to start work.

Ongoing childcare costs are paid in arrears, so you can only get help with childcare costs for payments you have already made to a registered or approved childcare provider or providers (for example, registered with the local Health and Social Care Trust or relevant school-based care).

You may be able to get help with childcare costs if you or your partner are in work but one of you is not working because they:

• have limited capability for work        
• look after a severely disabled adult or child
• are temporarily away from home (for example in hospital or in custody)

Full-time students or students in a couple will not get Universal Credit payments towards childcare costs to cover attendance on a course of education.

What registered or approved childcare means

The childcare provider must be registered with the appropriate Health and Social Care Trust (HSCT) (unless the childcare is provided by a school where the provider does not need to be registered with the HSCT).

The HSCT are responsible for the registration, inspection, monitoring and support of child-minders and day care providers.

Once it has been confirmed that the childcare provider is registered with HSCT, Universal Credit can reimburse up to 85% of childcare costs.

Childcare provided by schools (breakfast, after school or holiday clubs)

If you use childcare provided by a school the following 3 conditions must be met:

• it is provided by the person responsible for managing the school. They are not required to be registered with the HSCT
• on school premises that may be inspected as part of a school inspection
• out of school hours by a school as part of the school activities

Once it has been confirmed that the school childcare provider meets all of the conditions above, Universal Credit can reimburse up to 85 per cent of childcare costs.

Term Time working and childcare costs

If you are employed on a term time contract and have been receiving Universal Credit payments for childcare costs, you may be eligible for childcare costs for the assessment period before you start work or for the assessment period after you stop work. 

To check if you are eligible, you should report details of your term time working when you report your childcare costs.

Home approved childcare

Childcare costs can be awarded if a home-based childcare provider has been approved by and registered with the Health and Social Care Trust (HSCT) to provide childcare in the child’s own home.

You will not get Universal Credit childcare payments if childcare is provided by a close relative in the child’s own home, even if the relative is registered with the HSCT.

Childcare provided in the Republic of Ireland (ROI)

You may be entitled to money towards childcare costs if you pay for childcare for children in your household. You must also meet the eligibility criteria for childcare costs.

Childcare provided in RoI, must be approved by the relevant state (RoI) and must be an approved childcare provider.

You can check for registered childcare providers in RoI on the Tusla website.

Childcare costs amount

Up to 85 per cent of your childcare costs will be included in your Universal Credit payments after you have paid the childcare provider or providers and reported the amount you have paid.

The maximum amount you can get towards childcare costs is:

£1,031.88 or one child, and

£1,768.94 for two or more children

How to get help with childcare costs

To get help with childcare costs, you must provide evidence of the childcare provided and the payments made.

Universal Credit can accept any of the following documents as evidence to confirm the details of your childcare provider:

• a childcare contract
• a letter from the childcare provider
• an invoice from the childcare provider

The evidence provided must not have been altered in any way and must include:

• the childcare provider’s name, full address and contact number
• the childcare provider’s Registration Number
• the name of the child
• if the contract varies – for example during school holidays

If you use more than one childcare provider, you must give details for each one.

Information you need to provide every month

You must provide the following information for each child every month:

• the dates covered by the childcare payment
• the amount paid
• the date the payment was made

The receipts you provide for the dates covered by the childcare payments must match the exact dates childcare was provided. If the dates do not match, this may delay payment for your childcare costs.

You must give this information in the assessment period you paid them, or in the next assessment period. You must do this even if the costs haven't changed from the previous month.

The evidence provided must not have been altered in any way.

Evidence you can provide includes:

• Invoice or letter from the childcare provider
• Receipt (including ATM receipt)
• Bank or credit card statement

You can show more than one piece of evidence to prove everything that's needed. For example, you can use a bank statement to prove the date and amount you paid, and an invoice to prove the time period this payment covers.

Universal Credit can accept scans, photos, screenshots and photocopies of evidence.

This factsheet is helpful and lists what you need to do.

There is also useful information for childcare providers.

Help with Upfront Childcare costs

If paying upfront for registered childcare is preventing you from starting or staying in work, help may be available.

For further information go to Adviser Discretion Fund or Help from your local  Jobs and Benefits office or you can speak with your work coach.

Universal Credit and other Approved Childcare payments

You may not be eligible for Universal Credit childcare costs if you get other approved childcare payments.

• Help paying for approved childcare

More useful links

• Agree your Universal Credit Commitment
• Childcare benefits and other help for working parents
• Childcare
• Employers for Childcare
• More financial help if you get Universal Credit