Childcare Help in England: Free Hours and Tax-Free Childcare

This guide is for parents who have recently moved to England with a young child and want to understand the two main government schemes that help working families pay for childcare. By the end, you will know who each scheme is for, how much support it gives, how to apply through a childcare account and what keeps the help in place.

• Two schemes and where they apply
• Free Childcare for Working Parents: who qualifies
• Tax-Free Childcare: how the top-up works
• How to apply through a childcare account
• Keeping your support: the 3-month check
• FAQ

Two schemes and where they apply

Two schemes are aimed at working parents. The first is Free Childcare for Working Parents, which can give you 30 hours of free childcare a week. The second is Tax-Free Childcare, where the government adds money to what you pay towards your childcare bill.

Where you live matters. Free Childcare for Working Parents is only for families who live in England. Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland each have their own schemes, and this guide does not cover them.

Both schemes only pay for approved childcare, which means care from a registered provider. For Tax-Free Childcare, GOV.UK says the provider must be one of these:

• a registered childminder, nanny, playscheme, nursery or club
• a childminder or nanny with a registered childminder agency or childcare agency
• a registered school
• a home care worker working for a registered home care agency

GOV.UK also lists other help. This includes 15 hours of free childcare for 2-year-olds (Early Learning for 2 year olds), 15 hours for 3 to 4 year olds, Universal Credit childcare and help while you study. You can only get childcare vouchers if you have already joined a scheme.

Free Childcare for Working Parents: who qualifies

The official page sets out these main conditions:

• your child is aged 9 months to 4 years old
• you live in England
• you (and your partner, if you have one) are in work or about to start a new job
• you (and your partner) earn over a certain amount
• you have a National Insurance number, which you need to apply

The page does not give the earnings figure. Instead, it points to a government calculator that shows how much help a family could get with childcare costs. The care must come from a registered provider, such as a registered nursery, playscheme or school.

New arrivals often get stuck on the National Insurance number first. The page says you need one to apply but does not explain how to get one.

Timing. You can apply from when your child is 23 weeks old. GOV.UK lists the application deadlines on a separate page, so they are not covered here.

Immigration status. Neither official page says how a visa or immigration condition affects eligibility for either scheme. For a specific question about your own immigration status, an adviser regulated by the OISC or a solicitor regulated by the SRA can advise on your case.

Tax-Free Childcare: how the top-up works

Tax-Free Childcare uses a childcare account that both you and the government pay into. For every £8 you pay in, the government adds £2. Each child can get a top-up of up to £500 every 3 months, which is up to £2,000 a year. If your child is disabled, this rises to £1,000 every 3 months, up to £4,000 a year.

GOV.UK gives this example. Your childcare bill is £250. You pay £200 into the account (80% of the bill) and the government adds £50 (20% of the bill). You can then use the full £250 to pay your provider.

The eligibility rules on the official page are:

• you will usually need to be working, or returning to work
• your child must be 11 or younger, or 16 or younger if they are disabled
• your childcare provider must be signed up to the Tax-Free Childcare scheme

The page says to check with your provider that they are already signed up before you apply. You can use the money for childminders, nurseries, nannies, and after school, breakfast and holiday clubs. It can also pay for extras such as nappies, meals and trips, as long as the provider supplies them.

If your child is disabled, the extra money can pay for more hours of childcare. It can also help your provider buy specialist equipment for your child, such as mobility aids. You may be able to pay a provider based in a European Economic Area (EEA) country, and the page says to contact HM Revenue and Customs (HMRC) to check.

How to apply through a childcare account

Both schemes use the same online childcare account. GOV.UK describes the process in this order:

1. Check the provider. Confirm the provider counts as approved childcare. For Tax-Free Childcare, also confirm they are already signed up.
2. Have a National Insurance number. You need one to apply for Free Childcare for Working Parents.
3. Set up a childcare account. You make the application through this account.
4. Receive your code. If your application for free hours is approved, you get an 11-digit code that proves you are eligible. You give this code to your childcare provider.
5. Pay in and pay out. For Tax-Free Childcare, you pay into the account by Direct Debit, standing order or bank transfer. Your payment usually arrives within one working day, and the government’s top-up is added at the same time. You then pay your provider from the account.

When you apply for the free hours, HMRC also checks whether you are eligible for Tax-Free Childcare.

Keeping your support: the 3-month check

For both schemes, you must sign in to your childcare account every 3 months to confirm your details are up to date. For Tax-Free Childcare, GOV.UK says the payments will stop if you do not. Your account shows when your next check is due.

Your eligibility can change, and GOV.UK has a separate page for checking whether it has. If you get Universal Credit, you must tell the government straight away when your circumstances change.

Help does not have to end when your child starts school. GOV.UK says Tax-Free Childcare may pay for wraparound care, after school clubs and other activities, within the age limits above.

FAQ

Can I get the free hours and Tax-Free Childcare together?

Yes, it is possible. GOV.UK says that as well as Free Childcare for Working Parents, you may be able to get either Tax-Free Childcare or Universal Credit childcare. You cannot get Tax-Free Childcare and Universal Credit childcare at the same time.

How early can I apply for 30 hours of free childcare?

You can apply from when your child is 23 weeks old. The free hours are for children aged 9 months to 4 years. GOV.UK lists the application deadlines on a separate page.

What is the most the government will add through Tax-Free Childcare?

The government adds £2 for every £8 you pay in. The top-up is capped at £500 per child every 3 months, which is up to £2,000 a year. For a disabled child, the cap is £1,000 every 3 months, up to £4,000 a year.

Does Free Childcare for Working Parents apply in Scotland, Wales or Northern Ireland?

No. The scheme is only for families who live in England. GOV.UK says Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland each have different schemes.

Official sources: gov.uk · gov.uk

Last verified: 16 October 2026 against the official pages linked above. Rules and fees change; the official page always wins.

This is general information, not legal or immigration advice. Immigration advice in the UK may only be given by advisers regulated by the OISC or by solicitors regulated by the SRA.