What help can I get with childcare costs?

For working parents and parents studying who need help paying for childcare.

Applies to: England, Scotland, Wales, Northern Ireland Last checked against official sources: 30 September 2026

Official figures may have changed. Check the source.

There are several schemes, and you may qualify for more than one:

Tax-Free Childcare: the government adds £2 for every £8 you pay
Universal Credit childcare costs
Help while you study
Free childcare for children aged 9 months to 4 years, including Free Childcare for Working Parents, 15 hours for 3 and 4 year olds, and Early Learning for 2 year olds

You must use approved childcare, such as a registered childminder, nursery or club. Use the official childcare calculator to see what you could get.

Key facts

Several schemes
Must be approved childcare
Official calculator available

The main schemes compared

Scheme	What you get	Who it is for
Tax-Free Childcare	£2 for every £8 you pay, up to £500 every 3 months (£2,000 a year) per child. £1,000 every 3 months (£4,000 a year) for a disabled child	Usually working parents. Children 11 or under (16 or under if disabled)
Universal Credit childcare costs	Up to 85% of costs, up to £1,071.09 a month for 1 child or £1,836.16 for 2 or more (2026/27)	People on Universal Credit who are working or have a job offer
Free Childcare for Working Parents (England)	30 hours a week	Working parents of children aged 9 months to 4 years
15 hours for 3 and 4 year olds (England)	15 hours a week	3 and 4 year olds
Early Learning for 2 year olds (England)	15 hours a week	2 year olds in families on certain benefits or low income, or with extra needs

Tax-Free Childcare or Universal Credit?

You cannot get Tax-Free Childcare at the same time as Universal Credit childcare costs or childcare vouchers. You need to choose one. Use the official childcare calculator to compare.

Example: Universal Credit childcare costs

You work part time and pay £800 a month for nursery for one child. Universal Credit can pay 85% of that: £800 x 85% = £680 a month. This is under the £1,071.09 monthly limit for one child, so you could get the full £680.

Example: Tax-Free Childcare

You pay £400 into your Tax-Free Childcare account. The government adds £100 (£2 for every £8). You now have £500 to pay your approved provider. To get the full £500 top-up in a 3 month period, you would need to pay in £2,000. Doing that every 3 months would reach the £2,000 yearly top-up limit.

Free hours in England

Free Childcare for Working Parents: you and any partner must each expect to earn at least £2,643.68 over the next 3 months if aged 21 or over. Neither of you can have adjusted net income over £100,000.
You must sign in every 3 months to reconfirm for both Tax-Free Childcare and Free Childcare for Working Parents, or the help stops.

What counts as approved childcare

The money only works with approved childcare, such as a registered childminder, nanny, playscheme, nursery or club, a registered school, or a carer from a registered home care agency.

A relative can only be paid through Tax-Free Childcare if:

in England, Scotland or Wales: they are a registered childminder and look after your child outside your home
in Northern Ireland: they are in a childcare approval scheme, look after your child outside your home, and also look after at least one other child who is not related to you

If you live in Scotland, Wales or Northern Ireland

Tax-Free Childcare is available across the UK. The free hours schemes above are for England only. Instead:

Scotland: children aged 3 to 5 can get up to 1,140 hours of funded early learning and childcare a year. That is 30 hours a week in term time, or 22 hours a week all year. Some 2 year olds qualify too.
Wales: the Childcare Offer gives up to 30 hours a week (nursery education plus childcare) for up to 48 weeks a year for eligible 3 and 4 year olds. Flying Start gives 12.5 hours a week for 2 year olds in eligible areas.
Northern Ireland: different local support applies, so check nidirect.

Related guides

Where these figures come from

Get it done

This takes you to the official service, which is free to use.

Use the childcare calculator

Common questions

Can a grandparent count as approved childcare?

Only in limited cases, for example if they're a registered childminder caring for your child outside your home. Rules differ by nation.

Source: Find out what 'approved childcare' is

Checked against GOV.UK on 30 September 2026

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