Childcare Help Calculator (Tax-Free Childcare and 30 Hours)
Find out whether you could get Tax-Free Childcare or 30 hours of free childcare, and roughly what they are worth.
| Tax-Free Childcare top-up (20% of your bill, up to £2,000) | £1,920 |
|---|---|
| 30 hours free childcare (30 hours a week for 38 weeks at £6.50 an hour) | £7,410 |
| Total possible help a year | £9,330 |
An estimate. Tax-Free Childcare: for every £8 you pay in, the Government adds £2. The 30 hours scheme is for children aged 9 months to 4 in England and has other rules (for example about self-employed earnings), and Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland have different schemes. Always confirm on GOV.UK.
Tax-Free Childcare
For every £8 you pay into a childcare account, the Government adds £2. That is up to £2,000 a year per child (£4,000 for a disabled child). It can be used with approved providers such as nurseries, childminders, after-school clubs and holiday schemes, and your child must be 11 or under (16 or under if disabled).
30 hours free childcare (England)
Eligible working parents of children from 9 months to 4 years can get 30 hours a week for 38 weeks a year (term time) of funded childcare.
Who qualifies?
- You (and your partner, if you have one) must each be working, expecting to earn at least £2,643.68 over the next three months, which is the equivalent of 16 hours a week at the National Minimum or Living Wage. Different rules apply to the self-employed and to parents on some benefits.
- Neither of you can have an adjusted net income over £100,000.
Using both schemes
You can often use the free hours first and Tax-Free Childcare for the rest of your bill. This calculator adds the two together as an estimate. Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland run their own funded childcare schemes, and Universal Credit has a childcare element, so check what applies where you live on GOV.UK.
Sources: GOV.UK: Tax-Free Childcare, GOV.UK: 30 hours free childcare. Figures last checked on 8 October 2026.
Frequently asked questions
How much is Tax-Free Childcare worth?
Up to £2,000 a year per child, which is 20% of your childcare bill.
Can I get 30 hours free childcare and Tax-Free Childcare?
Yes. They are separate schemes and many families use both, although you cannot use them to pay for the same hours of childcare.
What if one of us earns over £100,000?
If either parent has an adjusted net income over £100,000 the family is not eligible for either scheme.
Does it apply in Scotland and Wales?
Tax-Free Childcare applies across the UK. The 30 hours scheme described here is for England, and Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland have different funded hours.
More from UK Answers
Figures are for the 2026/27 tax year from official sources and are estimates for guidance only, not financial or legal advice. Printed from ukanswers.co.uk.