Paying for childcare

Working parents

As part of Working Tax Credit (WTC) you may qualify for help towards the costs of childcare. If you do qualify, the total amount of help you receive will depend on your income.

The help can be up to a maximum of 80p for every £1 you pay out in childcare costs. This is up to a limit of £175 in costs per week for one child and £300 for two or more children. Any costs that you may in excess of these amounts will not be used in the calculation.

This means the most you can get in your childcare element is £140 (£175 at 80p in the £1) if you have one child, or £240 (£300 at 80p in the £1) if you have two or more children.

To make a claim for the childcare element, a lone parent must work 16 hours a week or more. Couples can claim if:

both work 16 hours a week or more, or
one of you works 16 hours a week or more and the other is incapacitated for childcare purposes, or
one of you works 16 hours a week or more and the other is an in-patient in hospital, or
one of you works 16 hours a week or more and the other is in prison

For more information or to apply, go to the Tax Credits website or call the information line on 0845 300 3900.

Parents rights

Free advice on parents rights in the work place is available at www.workingfamilies.org.uk

Students

Your student welfare advisor should help you find out more about help with childcare costs from your college or university.

Care to Learn for young parents

If you are under 20 and have one or more children, Care to Learn can help with the cost of your childcare while you learn.

To get Care to Learn, you must be under 20 years old on the day your course or learning programme begins. As long as you begin the course before you are 20, Care to Learn will contribute towards your childcare costs until the course has finished.

More information is available on the DCSF Care to Learn website, alternatively you can request an information booklet from the Children's Information Service using our online form or call us on 01384 814398/9.

Information based on the Tax Credits website and the Care to Learn website.

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