Help with childcare costs
Childcare is expensive and is likely to be one of the biggest costs you face as a working parent. There are a number of different sources of help with childcare costs. This article outlines the various sources of help with childcare costs, but for more information we recommend that you visit the government’s Best Start in Life parent hub.
If you have children, summer holidays can also be an expensive time of year. As well as help with childcare costs, there may be other support available during the school holidays. This includes holiday clubs, help with food and other activities. These may be run by your local council or a voluntary or private organisation. Visit our page on additional support available during school holidays.
Free early education (free hours childcare)
There are a number of free childcare schemes available, depending on where you live. These are officially referred to as ‘free early education’ schemes, but may also be known as 15 or 30 free hours childcare.
In England, working parents of children aged between 9-months and 4 years old may be eligible for 30 hours of free childcare. If you’re not entitled to the working parent’s scheme, you’ll be entitled to 15 hours of universal free childcare when your child is aged 3 or 4 years old. Some 2 year olds who receive additional support may also be eligible for 15 hours of free childcare. See this page for more information.
In Scotland, all 3 and 4 year olds are universally entitled to up to 1,140 hours of free childcare per year (roughly 30 hours per week during term time). If you’re on a low income benefit or you or your child are care experienced you may also qualify for 1,140 hours of free childcare per year for your 2 year old. See our article on free childcare in Scotland form more information.
In Wales, eligible working parents of 3 and 4 year olds are entitled to up to 30 hours of free childcare per week through the Childcare Offer for Wales. If you live in a Flying Start area your 2 year old may be eligible for 12.5 hours of free childcare per week. See here for information on free childcare schemes in Wales.
Support for working parents
Tax free childcare
Tax-free childcare is a government scheme that pays 25% of childcare costs up to a maximum of £2,000 per year. The scheme is open to parents of children under 12 (or under 17 if disabled). To be eligible for the Tax-free Childcare Scheme, you must be working (and if you have a partner they must work too), and you must not be receiving any support through Universal Credit.
Important: If you claim Universal Credit you should not apply for Tax Free Childcare without being certain it is the best option for you as it might stop your benefits.
Universal credit
The childcare element of Universal Credit (UC) can help towards the costs of registered or approved childcare. If you qualify for UC and are eligible for the childcare element, you can claim up to 85% of your childcare costs up to a maximum of £1,071.09 for one child or £1,836.16 for more than one child (for 2026/27).
Important: You should not claim Universal Credit if you already get benefits it replaces (e.g. income support, housing benefit), as you may end up worse off and you cannot return to your old benefits.
Other options
Other options that might apply if you are already claiming support include:
- Employer-supported childcare is still available in some circumstances but you cannot join a voucher scheme unless you are already in the scheme.
Which schemes can be used together?
The general rule is that you cannot use state support for the same costs. If you use more than one source of help with your childcare costs, make sure you check the rules so that you are not getting overlapping help. For more details, see our article on which childcare schemes can and can’t be used together.
The government have a childcare costs calculator which can help if you are trying to decide which scheme to use. However, it won’t calculate what you could get on Universal Credit: to do this, you should use a benefits calculator.
This advice applies in England, Wales and Scotland. If you live in another part of the UK, the law may differ. If you are in Northern Ireland you can visit the Labour Relations Agency or call their helpline Workplace Information Service on 03300 555 300.
Our helpline and online contact form is now closed as we wind down our operations. Our free legal advice pages remain available and up to date until further notice. You can find a list of trusted organisations that may be able to help you below.
| Organisation and link to website | Area of Advice | Telephone |
|---|---|---|
| Employment Rights | ||
| ACAS | Acas gives employees and employers free, impartial advice on workplace rights, rules and best practice. We also offer training and help to resolve disputes. | 0300 123 1100 |
| Citizens Advice (England & Wales) | Citizens Advice is a charity which provides free, confidential, and independent advice on employment, legal, financial, housing, and consumer problems | 0808 223 1133 |
| Citizens Advice (Scotland) | Citizens Advice is a charity which provides free, confidential, and independent advice on employment, legal, financial, housing, and consumer problems | 0800 028 1456 |
| Maternity Action | Maternity and Parental Rights at Work and Benefits for Families & NHS charges for maternity care | 0808 801 0488 |
| Pregnant Then Screwed | HR Advice Line – for questions on employment rights, flexible working, parental leave or workplace discrimination | 0300 222 5799 |
| Equality Advisory and Support Service (EASS) | The helpline advises and assists individuals on issues relating to equality and human rights, across England, Scotland and Wales. | 0808 800 0082 |
| Trade Union | If you are a union member, contact your union for support. If not, you may wish to join, but check whether support is available for existing issues. | |
| Health and Safety Executive (HSE) | Guidance on workplace health and safety rights and accepts reports of serious workplace health and safety concerns. | |
| Advicenow | Provides free legal information, guides, self-help tools and training to help people deal with legal issues and understand their rights. | |
| Protect | Provides advice and support to people raising concerns about whistleblowing | 020 3117 2520 |
| Zero Hours Justice | Offers information and support on the rights of workers on zero-hours and insecure contracts | 01904 900 151 |
| Legal Advice and Representation | ||
| Law Centres Network | Law Centres work within their communities to defend the legal rights of local people. You can use their website to find your local Law Centre. | |
| LawWorks | The LawWorks Clinics Network provides free initial advice to individuals on various areas of law including employment law, social welfare law, housing matters, consumer disputes, debt and welfare rights. | |
| Advocate | Advocate is a charity that finds free legal assistance from volunteer barristers | |
| South West London Law Centres | Provides free, independent legal advice to people who cannot afford a lawyer, including advice on employment, housing, debt, immigration issues. | 020 8767 2777 |
| Employment Tribunal Litigants in Person Support Scheme (ELIPS) | ELIPS provides pro bono assistance to unrepresented litigants. It currently covers London Central, Cardiff, Bristol, Midlands (West), Newcastle, Leeds and Manchester Employment Tribunals. | |
| Legal Aid Check your eligibility for Legal Aid online | Legal Aid funding is only available for employment cases involving discrimination. | |
| YESS Law | Employment law advice and support, including settlement agreements. Yess Law do not represent clients in Employment Tribunal Proceedings | 020 3701 7530 |
| The Free Representation Unit (FRU) | The Free Representation Unit (FRU) is a charity that provides legal advice, case preparation and advocacy in employment & social security tribunal cases if you have a hearing date at a tribunal in London and the South East and your case is referred by a referral agency | |
| Employment Tribunal Customer Contact Centre | Provides information about the Employment Tribunal process but does not offer legal advice. | 0300 123 1024 |
| Appoint a solicitor The Law Society provides information on finding a solicitor. | If you are able to afford to do this, you can instruct a solicitor who is an expert in maternity and family friendly rights. A good solicitor will give you honest advice about the strengths and weaknesses of your case, the likely costs and s/he should try to resolve your case as soon as possible and so keep the costs you have to pay to a minimum. | |
| Disability Law Service | Provide free legal advice on community care, employment, housing, discrimination, public law and welfare benefits to disabled people and their carers | 0207 791 9800 |
| Child Law Advice | Provided by Coram Children’s Legal Centre, advice for Litigants in person | |
| Rights of Women | Women’s voluntary organisation committed to informing, educating and empowering women concerning their legal rights | 020 7251 6577 |
| Benefits and Financial Support | ||
| Citizens Advice (England & Wales) | Citizens Advice is a charity which provides free, confidential, and independent advice on employment, legal, financial, housing, and consumer problems | 0808 223 1133 |
| Citizens Advice (Scotland) | Citizens Advice is a charity which provides free, confidential, and independent advice on employment, legal, financial, housing, and consumer problems | 0800 028 1456 |
| Advice Local | Your local guide to help with employment and work issues, benefits, money, housing problems and more | |
| Age UK | Provide free, confidential advice, practical support, and companionship | 0800 678 1602 |
| Carer’s UK | Provide advice on benefits, rights, and emotional and peer support. | 0808 808 7777 |
| Scope | Offers information, advice and support for disabled people and their families, including guidance on benefits, work and independent living. | 0808 800 3333 |
| NRPF Network | Provides guidance and resources on no recourse to public funds (NRPF) and support options for people affected by immigration-related benefit restrictions. | 0800 169 0283 |
| Maternity Allowance helpline (DWP) | Maternity Allowance is a government benefit for pregnant women or new mothers who do not qualify for Statutory Maternity Pay (SMP) from their employer. | |
| HMRC Statutory Payment Dispute Team | Resolves disputes about entitlement to statutory payments, including maternity, paternity, adoption, shared parental, parental bereavement and neonatal care pay. | |
| Pregnancy, Maternity and Baby Support | ||
| Maternity Action | Maternity and Parental Rights at Work and Benefits for Families & NHS charges for maternity care | 0808 801 0488 |
| Tommy’s | Provide advice and support to parents-to-be, expectant parents, and families who have experienced baby loss | 0800 0147 800 |
| Bliss | Support and information for families of premature and sick babies, including emotional support, neonatal care guidance | |
| Twins Trust | Offers support, information and peer support for families with twins, triplets and multiple births | 0800 138 0509 |
| Sands | Sands works to support anyone affected by the death of a baby | 0808 164 3332 |
| Best Start in Life | Advice and support for your child’s development | |
| Mental Health and Wellbeing | ||
| Mind | Mind empower individuals experiencing mental health problems through advice and support | 0300 102 1234 |
| Maternal Mental Health Alliance | Charity and network of 160 organisations, dedicated to ensuring women and birthing people affected by perinatal mental health problems have access to high-quality, compassionate care | |
| Pandas | Pandas offer hope, empathy and support for every parent, carer or network affected by Perinatal Mental Illness | |
| Samaritans | Provide emotional support to anyone in distress, struggling to cope, or at risk of suicide | 116 123 |
| Domestic Abuse | ||
| Women’s Aid | Offers support, information and signposting for women and children experiencing domestic abuse | |
| Support for single parent families | ||
| Gingerbread | Offers advice and information support for single parents on work, benefits, finances and family issues. | |
| One Parent Families Scotland | Provides advice and support to single parents in Scotland including benefits, money and health and wellbeing. | 0808 801 0323 |
| Disability | ||
| Contact | For families with disabled children | 0808 808 3555 |
| Carer’s support | ||
| Carer’s UK | Provide advice on benefits, rights, and emotional and peer support. | 0808 808 7777 |
| Childcare | ||
| Childcare Service Helpline | Contact HMRC if you need help applying for Tax-Free Childcare, applying for free childcare if you’re working or using your online childcare account. | 0300 123 4097 |
| Best Start | Provide information on all available childcare support | |
| Coram – Family Information Service | Provide a tool to search for contact details for your local Family Information Service who can provide advice and support on childcare in your area |
The information on the law contained on this site is provided free of charge and does not, and is not intended to, amount to legal advice to any person on a specific case or matter. If you are not a solicitor, you are advised to obtain specific legal advice about your case or matter and not to rely solely on this information. Law and guidance is changing regularly in this area.
We cannot provide advice on employment rights in Northern Ireland as the law is different. You can visit the Labour Relations Agency or call their helpline Workplace Information Service on 03300 555 300.