How many hours of free childcare can working parents get in England?

Working parents of children aged 9 months up to school age can get 30 hours a week of funded childcare during term time (1140 hours a year over 38 weeks), fully rolled out from 1 September 2025. All 3 and 4 year olds also get a universal 15 hours a week (570 hours a year) regardless of income. Each parent must usually earn at least the equivalent of 16 hours a week at the National Minimum/Living Wage, and neither parent can expect to earn more than £100,000.

How does Tax-Free Childcare work?

With Tax-Free Childcare the government tops up your childcare account by 20%: for every £8 you pay in, it adds £2. The top-up is capped at £2,000 per child a year (£500 every 3 months), or £4,000 a year for a disabled child. It covers children up to age 11 (16 if the child is disabled).

Who is eligible for Tax-Free Childcare?

Each parent must usually expect to earn at least the equivalent of 16 hours a week at the National Minimum/Living Wage — about £2,643.68 over 3 months if aged 21 or over, £2,256.80 if aged 18–20, or £1,664.00 if under 18 or an apprentice. Neither parent can have an expected adjusted net income over £100,000 a year. You cannot use Tax-Free Childcare at the same time as Universal Credit, tax credits or childcare vouchers.

How much childcare help can I get on Universal Credit?

Universal Credit can reimburse up to 85% of your registered childcare costs, up to £1,071.09 a month for one child and £1,836.16 a month for two or more children (Tax year 2026/27 (figures effective from 6 April 2026)). You usually have to pay the childcare first and then claim it back. You cannot use Universal Credit childcare costs and Tax-Free Childcare for the same child at the same time.

Can I use free hours and Tax-Free Childcare together?

Yes. Free hours and Tax-Free Childcare can be combined — the funded hours cover part of your week, and Tax-Free Childcare can help with extra hours, meals or other registered costs the funded hours do not cover. What you cannot do is claim Tax-Free Childcare and Universal Credit childcare costs at the same time; you choose whichever leaves you better off.

Do these childcare schemes apply across the whole UK?

No. Childcare is a devolved matter, so the funded "free hours" entitlements on this page apply to England only. Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland run their own funded-hours schemes. Tax-Free Childcare and the Universal Credit childcare element, however, are UK-wide. Always check the rules for your nation on GOV.UK or your devolved government's website.

GeraJobs / Childcare costs

UK childcare costs help: free hours, Tax-Free Childcare & Universal Credit

Childcare support in England comes from three government schemes you can often combine: funded free hours, Tax-Free Childcare (a 20% top-up on what you pay), and the Universal Credit childcare element. This page shows the published 2026 scheme year (England) figures and a free top-up estimator — every figure is official.

What help can working parents in England get with childcare costs?

In England you can combine three schemes: 30 hours a week free childcare for working parents of children aged 9 months to 4 years (and 15 hours for all 3–4 year olds); Tax-Free Childcare, where the government adds 20% up to £2,000 per child a year; and Universal Credit, which can reimburse 85% of childcare costs. Source: GOV.UK.

Source:GOV.UK — Help paying for childcare (HM Government / DfE / HMRC / DWP)·As of 2026 scheme year (England) · updated annually (each scheme / tax year) · last refreshed 25 June 2026

Free hours (working parents)

30h

a week · 9 months to 4 years

Tax-Free Childcare

£2,000

max top-up per child a year (20%)

Universal Credit childcare

85%

of costs reimbursed, up to monthly caps

Funded free childcare hours in England (2026 scheme year (England))

Entitlement	Hours/week	Hours/year	Ages	Who qualifies
30 hours free childcare for working parents (9 months to 4 years)	30	1140 (38 weeks)	9 mths–4 yrs	Eligibility test applies
15 hours free childcare for all 3 to 4 year olds	15	570 (38 weeks)	3–4 yrs	Universal (no income test)
15 hours free childcare for eligible 2 year olds	15	570 (38 weeks)	2–3 yrs	Eligibility test applies

Free hours are funded for 38 term-time weeks a year and can often be “stretched” over more weeks at fewer hours if your provider offers it. Working parents must usually each earn at least the equivalent of 16 hours a week at the National Minimum/Living Wage, with neither expecting to earn over £100,000. England, 2026 scheme year (expanded entitlement fully rolled out from 1 September 2025). Source: GOV.UK — Help paying for childcare (HM Government / DfE / HMRC / DWP).

How Tax-Free Childcare works

Tax-Free Childcare is a government top-up on a special online childcare account. For every £8 you pay in, the government adds £2 — a 20% top-up, i.e. the government covers 20% of your registered childcare bill. You then pay your provider from the account.

£2,000 a year per child maximum top-up (£500 every 3 months) — you reach it once costs hit £10,000 a year.
£4,000 a year for a disabled child (£1,000 a quarter).
Covers children up to age 11 (16 if disabled).
Each parent must usually earn at least the equivalent of 16 hours a week at the National Minimum/Living Wage (about £2,643.68 over 3 months if 21+), and neither can earn over £100,000 a year.

You cannot use Tax-Free Childcare at the same time as Universal Credit, tax credits or childcare vouchers — pick whichever leaves you better off. Use the estimator below to see your own top-up.

Tax-Free Childcare top-up estimator

See how much the government would add for one child. It pays 20% of your registered childcare costs — for every £8 you pay in, it adds £2 — up to £2,000 a year.

Your childcare cost for this child: £6,000 a year

This child is disabledRegistered childcare only (Ofsted-registered or approved providers).

Government adds

£1,200

a year, for this child

You pay

£4,800

into your account

Total to provider

£6,000

a year

Full Tax-Free Childcare calculator

Estimate only. Tax-Free Childcare is paid per 3-month period and you cannot use it at the same time as Universal Credit, tax credits or childcare vouchers. Uses the published 20% top-up and the £2,000 per-child annual cap (£4,000 for a disabled child). Open your account at gov.uk/tax-free-childcare. Source: GOV.UK, Open Government Licence v3.0.

Childcare help on Universal Credit

If you get Universal Credit and you (and any partner) are working, you can claim back up to 85% of your registered childcare costs through the childcare element — usually paid in arrears after you have paid the provider.

Children	Maximum reimbursed per month
One child	£1,071.09
Two or more children	£1,836.16

85% reimbursement, Tax year 2026/27 (figures effective from 6 April 2026). You cannot claim the Universal Credit childcare element and Tax-Free Childcare for the same child at the same time. Source: gov.uk/guidance/universal-credit-childcare-costs.

See full Universal Credit rates and a monthly estimator →

UK childcare costs — FAQ

How many hours of free childcare can working parents get in England?: Working parents of children aged 9 months up to school age can get 30 hours a week of funded childcare during term time (1140 hours a year over 38 weeks), fully rolled out from 1 September 2025. All 3 and 4 year olds also get a universal 15 hours a week (570 hours a year) regardless of income. Each parent must usually earn at least the equivalent of 16 hours a week at the National Minimum/Living Wage, and neither parent can expect to earn more than £100,000.
How does Tax-Free Childcare work?: With Tax-Free Childcare the government tops up your childcare account by 20%: for every £8 you pay in, it adds £2. The top-up is capped at £2,000 per child a year (£500 every 3 months), or £4,000 a year for a disabled child. It covers children up to age 11 (16 if the child is disabled).
Who is eligible for Tax-Free Childcare?: Each parent must usually expect to earn at least the equivalent of 16 hours a week at the National Minimum/Living Wage — about £2,643.68 over 3 months if aged 21 or over, £2,256.80 if aged 18–20, or £1,664.00 if under 18 or an apprentice. Neither parent can have an expected adjusted net income over £100,000 a year. You cannot use Tax-Free Childcare at the same time as Universal Credit, tax credits or childcare vouchers.
How much childcare help can I get on Universal Credit?: Universal Credit can reimburse up to 85% of your registered childcare costs, up to £1,071.09 a month for one child and £1,836.16 a month for two or more children (Tax year 2026/27 (figures effective from 6 April 2026)). You usually have to pay the childcare first and then claim it back. You cannot use Universal Credit childcare costs and Tax-Free Childcare for the same child at the same time.
Can I use free hours and Tax-Free Childcare together?: Yes. Free hours and Tax-Free Childcare can be combined — the funded hours cover part of your week, and Tax-Free Childcare can help with extra hours, meals or other registered costs the funded hours do not cover. What you cannot do is claim Tax-Free Childcare and Universal Credit childcare costs at the same time; you choose whichever leaves you better off.
Do these childcare schemes apply across the whole UK?: No. Childcare is a devolved matter, so the funded "free hours" entitlements on this page apply to England only. Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland run their own funded-hours schemes. Tax-Free Childcare and the Universal Credit childcare element, however, are UK-wide. Always check the rules for your nation on GOV.UK or your devolved government's website.

Related on GeraJobs

Tax-Free Childcare calculator — work out the top-up across all your children, including the higher disabled-child cap.
UK benefits: Universal Credit & Child Benefit rates — standard allowances, child elements and a monthly UC estimator.
Browse jobs with salary ranges — flexible and part-time roles hiring now across the UK.

2026 scheme year (England). England only — childcare is devolved, so Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland run different free-hours schemes. Source: GOV.UK — Help paying for childcare (HM Government / DfE / HMRC / DWP), gov.uk/30-hours-free-childcare, gov.uk/tax-free-childcare and gov.uk/guidance/universal-credit-childcare-costs. Contains public sector information licensed under the Open Government Licence v3.0 (OGL v3.0). GeraJobs presents these published figures and the estimator is a guide only — no figure is modelled or invented. For your eligibility and to apply, use gov.uk/help-with-childcare-costs.