Help you can get with Childcare Costs

There is government help with childcare costs for both working and non-working families; see what you are eligible for and how to apply.

Parents or carers of two year olds who meet the criteria can apply for a free early learning place to fund childcare sessions for up to 15 hours per week.  Find out more about whether you meet the criteria and how to apply for 2 year old funding.

Parents who work more than 16 hours a week and earn less than £100,000 are entitled to up to 15 hours funded childcare a week for children aged two.

From September 2024, working parents of all children over the age of nine months will be eligible to 15 hours of funded childcare, this will increase to 30 hours from September 2025.

Some providers may ask for charges in addition to the funded childcare.

Visit Childcare Choices website for further information and apply for free childcare if you're working.

Free nursery education is available to all 3 and 4-year olds. If your child's third birthday falls between:

• 1 April and 31 August they qualify for funding from 1 September
• 1 September and 31 December, they qualify for funding from 1 January
• 1 January and 31 March, they qualify for funding from 1 April 

The maximum Nursery Education Funding you can claim per week for each child is 15 hours. If you wish to claim the maximum 15 hours, you can do this over no more than 38 weeks of the year, which equals 570 hours in total. Free Nursery Education Funding can be used at registered childcare providers such as:

• day nurseries
• pre-schools/nursery schools/classes
• childminders

Once you have chosen your provider and feel confident your child will be happy there, register with them by completing a Parent/Carer Agreement Form, which they will provide.

Eligible working parents of 3 and 4-year-olds are entitled to up to 30 hours of free childcare and early education per week, for 38 weeks of the year.

To find out whether you are eligible and how to apply for the 30 hours visit the Childcare Choices website. If you do not have access to the internet, you can call the Childcare Service Customer Interaction Centre on 0300 123 4097.

If you are a foster carer and has employment outside of fostering, you may be eligible.  Please speak to your social worker if you want to apply.

You may be able to get up to £500 every 3 months (£2,000 a year) for each of your children to help with the costs of childcare.
If you get Tax-Free Childcare, the government will pay £2 for every £8 you pay your childcare provider via an online account.
You can use it to pay for approved childcare.
For more information on eligibility and how to apply visit GOV.UK

Using the childcare element of Universal Credit, eligible parents may be able to claim back up to 85% of their childcare costs. The amounts parents can receive in childcare costs are a maximum of £951 per month for one child, or a maximum of £1630 per month for two or more children.

Students in education can also get help with childcare costs.  

Further information about childcare support if you are in education.