Sources of funding and entitlements to support parents looking for childcare
Check other help paying for childcare
Visit Childcare Choices for information about all support with childcare schemes.
Check what help you can get with childcare costs
View the GOV.UK childcare calculator to estimate how much you could get to help pay for approved childcare.
Tax credits
Child Tax Credits - many families can get tax credits. Make sure you claim. You don't need to be working to claim Child Tax Credit. Only one household can get Child Tax Credit for a child.
Working Tax Credits - you may be able to claim an extra amount to help cover the costs of approved childcare.
Universal Credit Childcare
Universal Credit can help with the costs of childcare. You may be able to claim up to 85% of your registered childcare costs if you are eligible for Universal Credit, in paid work or due to start a job in the next month.
Working families claiming Universal Credit with children under 17 may claim back up to 85% of eligible childcare costs.
Upfront childcare costs may be available to eligible parents moving into work or increasing hours.
Tax Free Childcare
Tax Free Childcare is a Government scheme helping working families with their childcare costs in an affordable way.
For every £8 a parent pays in, the government will pay in an extra £2. Parents can receive up to £2,000 per child, per year, towards their childcare costs, or £4,000 for disabled children. If you are a working parent with children under 12 (or under 17 for disabled children), you can open an online account to pay for registered childcare.
You can also claim Tax-Free Childcare alongside 30 hours for working parents – check the Combining Schemes on Childcare Choices for more information