FAQ: Everything You Need to Know About Government Childcare Support

Childcare support depends on where you live, your work and income, and your child’s age. Tax-Free Childcare is a UK scheme. The funded-hours rules below apply to England, with separate early education schemes elsewhere in the UK.

What does Tax-Free Childcare pay?

For every £8 paid into an eligible account, the government adds £2. The normal top-up cap is £500 per child every three months, or £1,000 for an eligible disabled child. Check the official scheme overview and confirm your provider is signed up.

Who can get 30 funded hours in England?

Eligible working parents of children aged nine months to four years can get 30 hours a week for 38 weeks. Eligibility, term start dates and an approved place all matter. See Free Childcare for Working Parents. All three- and four-year-olds can get the universal 15-hour entitlement, and some two-year-olds qualify for a separate 15-hour offer.

How much can Universal Credit cover?

Eligible claimants can recover up to 85% of childcare costs, capped per monthly assessment period at £1,071.09 for one child or £1,836.16 for two or more. You normally pay first and report the costs. Help with upfront costs may be available when starting work, increasing hours or returning from parental leave. Read the Universal Credit childcare rules.

Can I combine the schemes?

Funded hours can be used alongside Tax-Free Childcare or eligible Universal Credit childcare support for remaining costs. You cannot receive Tax-Free Childcare while claiming Universal Credit, even if your Universal Credit award has no childcare element.

Existing voucher users should compare their options before switching. Our vouchers comparison explains the restrictions.

How do I apply and keep support running?

Use the GOV.UK childcare application for Tax-Free Childcare. In England, HMRC also checks working-parent funded-hours eligibility. Reconfirm every three months and give the funded-hours code to your provider. For a January start, see our January 2027 deadline guide.

How should I plan the bill?

Ask for an itemised invoice showing funded hours, paid hours and any extras. There is no single cash value for 30 hours because fees and attendance differ. For illustration, if £600 remains eligible for Tax-Free Childcare, with no account balance and enough top-up allowance, you deposit £480 and the government adds £120.

Enter the remaining eligible bill, available balance and top-up already used in our calculator. It estimates payments rather than deciding eligibility.