CHILD'S PAY
Little-known rules could leave thousands of parents missing out on free childcare – two moves to make now
The perk is worth £6,900 a year but parents can miss out
In association with
PARENTS can get up to 30 hours of free childcare a week offering a huge support on costs of working.
But there are two crucial moves that guardians need to make to get the help worth thousands of pounds each year.
1
Working mums and dads with babies from nine-months-old and up to four-years-old can now get free childcare if live in England.
Under the current rules, some parents can get 15 hours but as part of a wider rollout by September 2025 all children under five will be entitled to 30 hours of free childcare a week.
The perk is worth an average £6,900 a year, helping parents keep more of their hard earned cash rather than shelling out on childcare.
The amount of free childcare currently depends on the child’s age, your income and whether you’re working.
Read more on childcare
If your child is nine months to two-years-old you can get 15 hours a wand children between three and four years old can get 30 hours of free childcare.
You and your partner both need to be working and earning the equivalent of the National Minimum Wage for 16 hours a week to get the help.
To get the free hours, you need to open a childcare government at gov.uk account and apply for a code for free childcare.
This code then needs to be given to your chosen childcare provider so they can claim funds for the free hours.
Most read in Money
Crucially you need to apply for a code ahead of the term in which your child is due to start care.
If you don’t get it in time, you may have to wait until the following term.
I work in a nursery and there are four types of parents we cannot stand one bit - and don't even get me started on kids wearing pull-ups
Every three months you then need to re-confirm your eligibility for free childcare. And if you miss the deadline, your code will expire and you will have to pay.
If you already have a tax-free childcare account then you will get the code via the online portal when you re-confirm.
But if you need to re-confirm before June 9, your code will be sent in the post by May 28.
You usually need to apply for the code well in advance of the next term starting.
David Samson, benefits expert at Turn2us, said: “You must confirm details are up to date every three months or the code will expire. You need to sign into their childcare account to confirm details.
IT'S SO FIDDLY, SAYS SUN'S CONSUMER EXPERT
COMMENT by Tara Evans, Head of Consumer, for The Sun:
There are a lot of hoops you need to jump through to get this benefit - but the savings are big.
It means you get access to up to 30 free hours of childcare, depending on how old your child is.
Plus, the tax-free childcare system gives you up to £2,000 free each year per child.
To get the free hours code, once you've set up an account you need to re-confirm your account every three months.
Stick a note in your diary to remind you.
Once you have your code you need to give this to your childcare provider, along with your National Insurance number and your child's date of birth to secure the free hours.
If you already have an account then you need to re-confirm your account to get your free hours code.
If your account needs to be reconfirmed after June 9, then you will get a code in the post by May 24.
Find out if you're eligible on the gov.uk website.
Also, we'd love to hear about your experiences of the tax-free childcare system. Email us on money@the-sun.co.uk.
“You will receive a reminder to do this, but it is advisable to put a note in their diary or calendar to remind themselves in case they miss the official reminder.”
Nurseries and pre-school places are often in high demand so it’s a good idea to look around for spots in advance of when you would like your child to start.
You can find a list of local childcare providers at gov.uk/find-free-early-education.
What other childcare help is available?
Free childcare for two-year-olds for those on benefits
Parents living in England and claiming any of the below benefits can access free childcare for two-year-olds:
- Income support
- Income-based jobseeker's allowance (JSA)
- Income-related employment and support allowance (ESA)
- Universal Credit (where household income is £15,400 a year or less after tax, not including benefit payments)
- Tax credits (where household income is £16,190 a year or less before tax)
- Pension Credit (guaranteed element)
Two-year-olds can also get free childcare if they:
- Are looked after by a local authority
- Have an education, health and care (EHC) plan
- Get disability living allowance
- Have left care under an adoption order, special guardianship order or a child arrangements order
You may have to pay for extra costs like meals, nappies or trips.
Tax-free childcare
Those not on Universal Credit or Tax Credits might qualify for tax-free childcare.
For every £8 you pay into the account, the Government will pay you £2.
You can get up to £500 from the Government every three months - up to a maximum of £2,000 a year - for each of your children.
If your child is disabled, you can claim more - £1,000 every three months, up to £4,000 maximum per year.
Anyone eligible can sign up by creating an online childcare account via the Government's website.
You can claim tax-free childcare at the same time as 15 or 30 hours free childcare hours.
Child benefit
You can get child benefit if you're responsible for a child aged under 16, or if they are under 20 and in approved education or training.
Child benefit is currently worth £25.60 a week for the eldest child or only child. For each subsequent child, parents get £16.95 a week.
READ MORE SUN STORIES
The cash is paid every four weeks and there's no limit to how many children you can apply for.
Bear in mind though, those who earn more than £60,000 a year have to start paying back some of their child benefit through the High Income Child Benefit Charge (HICBC).