News story: Pay for Easter childcare with Tax-Free Childcare

HMRC is reminding working parents that they can use Tax-Free Childcare to pay for regulated holiday clubs during the Easter holidays.

More than 55,000 registered childcare providers including school, football, art and tennis clubs have signed up.

Parents, including the self-employed, can apply online for Tax-Free Childcare – part of the government’s Childcare Choices offer – for children who are under 12.

Tax-Free Childcare will cut childcare costs for working families by up to £2,000 per child per year, or £4,000 for disabled children. For every £8 parents pay into their childcare account the government will add an extra £2, up to £2,000 per child per year.

The money can go towards a wide range of regulated childcare, including nurseries, childminders, after-school clubs or holiday clubs.

This website includes a Childcare Calculator that compares all the government’s childcare offers to check what works best for individual families.

Once eligible parents have opened their new account they can start paying their childcare provider straightaway, using the government contribution.

Sinead, a mum of one from West Sussex, said:

I use 30 hours in term time, and then Tax-Free Childcare for after-school and holiday clubs. The school holidays are always tricky, but when I applied for Tax-Free Childcare I was really surprised by how much support I could get. It’s a really great help, and the application was really straightforward.

Looking back, I wonder how we managed before – it’s really taken a weight off my shoulders.

Liz Truss, Chief Secretary to the Treasury, said:

School holidays like Easter are great fun for kids, but working parents can need help with childcare.

Tax-Free Childcare can be used to cut the stress and bills for parents, and there are lots of brilliant holiday clubs and childcare providers to help parents over the Easter holiday.

Our message to eligible families across the UK is sign up now and save on your childcare costs.

Tax-Free Childcare builds on other childcare support already available including:

• Childcare support through tax credits, or Universal Credit
• 15 and 30 hours free childcare in England.