Information for kinship carers on childcare options for children aged 0-16, including nurseries, pre-schools, childminders and nannies.
Financial support with childcare costs
Childcare costs can be expensive. As a kinship carer, you may be entitled to financial support to help cover the cost of childcare.
This advice applies to: England and Wales
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A common source of worry for kinship carers is how to pay for childcare. Having childcare can help you stay in work, attend court dates and appointments, or just have some quality time to yourself. Thankfully there is financial support available for kinship carers to help with childcare costs.
Who is eligible for free childcare?
There are a certain number of hours a week of free childcare, from an approved provider, available for those who meet the eligibility criteria. The amount of free childcare you can access will depend on:
- your child’s age and circumstances
- whether you’re working (employed, self-employed, or a director)
- your income (and your partner’s income, if you have one)
- your immigration status
To understand what help you can get with the cost of childcare, use the GOV.UK childcare calculator or Childcare Choices calculator.
What counts as an approved childcare provider?
- a nursery, pre-school, playgroup or school registered with Ofsted
- a childminder or nanny registered with Ofsted (or employed by an agency registered by Ofsted)
- a before or after-school club in a registered school
Types of support with paying for childcare
Children under the age of 5
Starting from April 2024, existing childcare support will be expanded in phases. By September 2025, most working families with children under the age of 5 will be entitled to 30 hours of childcare support a week.
The changes are being introduced gradually to make sure that providers can meet the needs of more families.
From April 2024, eligible working parents of 2-year-olds will be able to access 15 hours childcare support a week.
From September 2024, 15 hours childcare support a week will be extended to eligible working parents of children from the age of 9 months to 3 years.
From September 2025, eligible working parents with a child from 9 months old up to school age will be entitled to 30 hours of childcare a week.
Depending on your provider, these hours can be used over 38 weeks of the year or up to 52 weeks if you use fewer than your total hours per week.
Tax-free childcare
Tax-Free Childcare is available for children 11 years and under. It can help pay for care that is outside of school hours, such as breakfast clubs or after-school clubs. It can also be used to pay for childminders, nurseries and nannies for children who are not at school age.
If you meet the criteria, you can get up to £500 every 3 months to spend on childcare with a registered provider. If the child you care for is Disabled, you can get up to £1000 every 3 months.
You cannot claim Tax-Free Childcare if you are also claiming Working Tax Credit, Child Tax Credit, Universal Credit or childcare vouchers.
Universal Credit childcare costs
If you are eligible for Universal Credit, go to work and you pay for childcare, you can get up to 85% of the childcare costs back through Universal Credit. But you will only get the money back once the childcare has happened – usually in the same assessment period that you report them. You can claim a maximum amount for each assessment period of:
- £1,014.63 for 1 child
- £1,739.37 for 2 or more children
If you cannot pay your childcare costs upfront, you may be able to get help with that through the Flexible Support Fund.
Related advice on this topic
A guide for kinship carers about finding childcare for children with disabilities or special educational needs.
Stepping up to raise a child can be expensive, and money worries are common for kinship carers. Find out what financial support and benefits are available to you.
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