Tax-free childcare

Working parents with a child aged 0 to 11 years (up to 17 years for children with SEND), may be eligible for Tax Free Childcare.

Up to £500 is available every 3 months (up to £2,000 a year), for each child to help with the costs of childcare.This goes up to £1,000 every 3 months if a child is disabled (up to £4,000 a year).

If you have already registered, you can sign in to your childcare account.

If you get Tax-Free Childcare, you will need to set up an online childcare account for your child. For every £8.00 you pay into this account, the Government will add £2.00 for your provider.

You can also get Tax-Free Childcare at the same time as 30 hours free childcare if you’re eligible for both.

If your child is disabled

You can use the extra Tax-Free Childcare funding to help pay for extra hours of childcare. You can also use it to help pay your childcare provider so they can get specialist equipment for your child such as mobility aids. Talk to them about what equipment your child can get.

You can apply if you’re starting or re-starting work within the next 31 days.

About your income

Over the next 3 months, you and your partner (if you have one) must each expect to earn at least:

  • £2,167 if you are aged 23 or over
  • £2,117 if you are aged 21 or 22
  • £1,557 if you are aged 18 to 20
  • £1,098 if you are under 18 or are an apprentice

This is the National Minimum Wage or Living Wage for 16 hours a week on average.

You can use an average of how much you expect to earn over the current tax year if:

  • you work throughout the year but do not get paid regularly
  • you are self-employed and do not expect to earn enough in the next 3 months

About your child

Your child must be 11years or under and usually living with you. They will stop being eligible for funding on 1 September after their 11th birthday.

Adopted children are eligible, but foster children are not.

If your child is disabled and usually lives with you, you may get up to £4,000 a year until 1 September after their 16th birthday. They are eligible for this if they:

  • receive Disability Living Allowance, Personal Independence Payment, Armed Forces Independence Payment, Child Disability Payment (Scotland only) or Adult Disability Payment (Scotland only)
  • are certified as blind or severely sight-impaired

Further information

You can find more information and apply for Tax Free Childcare on childcare choices and also on the new expanded entitlements page.

You can also contact the Parent Support and Engagement Officer at EY&CBrokerage@swindon.gov.uk

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