Short answer: for every £8 you pay in, the government adds £2, up to £500 every 3 months (£2,000 a year) per child, or £4,000 a year for a disabled child.
Who can get it
- Your child is 11 or under (16 or under if disabled).
- You and your partner each expect to earn at least 16 hours a week at the minimum or living wage.
- Neither of you has adjusted net income over £100,000.
- You use a registered childcare provider.
How it works
- Open an online childcare account on GOV.UK.
- Pay money in. The government tops it up by 25% of what you pay in (£2 on every £8).
- Pay your provider from the account.
- Sign in every 3 months to reconfirm your details.
You can use it with the free childcare hours, for example to pay for extra hours or meals. You generally can't use it at the same time as claiming childcare costs through Universal Credit, which can cover up to 85% of costs, so check which is better for you.
Ready to go?
Read everything above? Here's the official page to do it:
Want the exact dates for your baby? Get your personal timeline: enter your due date or birthday and see every deadline in order.
Sources: GOV.UK: Tax-Free Childcare, GOV.UK: Universal Credit childcare costs. Checked 28 October 2026.