Tax free childcare
You may be entitled to receive £500 every three months (up to £2,000 a year) for each of your children to help with the costs of childcare. This goes up to £1,000 every three months if a child is disabled (up to £4,000 a year). You must use an approved childcare provider. Check with your chosen childcare provider to see if they have signed up.
Disability Access Fund (DAF)
If your child has additional needs, then your childcare provider may be able to claim DAF. Your childcare provider may also be able to claim top-up funding for your child.
Early years pupil premium
If you are on a low income or claiming certain benefits then your childcare provider may be able to claim early years pupil premium. Ask your childcare provider to check for you.
Working tax credit
You may be able to get help paying for childcare whilst you're working. This is the childcare element of working tax credit.
Eligibility for tax free childcare for those who don't meet the minimum requirements has been extended to 31 October 2020.
You can apply on GOV.UK.
Childcare vouchers
Your employer may be able to help you with childcare costs through:
- childcare vouchers
- childcare your employer arranges, also known as directly contracted childcare
- workplace nurseries
You should talk to your employer to find out what schemes they run.
If you use tax free childcare or childcare vouchers it will affect the amount of tax credits you get. GOV.UK has a better off calculator to help you decide if you would be better off taking childcare vouchers or not.
Support while you study
You may be entitled to:
- weekly payments from Care to Learn if you are at school or sixth form college
- help through your college if you are in further education
- a weekly grant if you are in full-time higher education
You can check to see if you are eligible on the childcare choices website.