How to claim back costs of childcare

Childcare costs cannot be deducted from company expenditures, but there are a few possibilities for assistance.

Individuals who are self-employed or employed may be eligible for a government subsidy of up to 20% of their childcare expenditures. To be eligible, you must first create an account at www.childcarechoices.gov.uk.

Those who do not get Tax Credits, Universal Credit, or childcare vouchers and earn less than £100,000 a week are eligible for the scheme. Your children must be between the ages of 0 and 11, or 0 and 16 if they are handicapped. You, your family, or your company may contribute to the account, and the government will match every £8 you put in with a £2 bonus. This implies that you might get up to £2,000 per kid over a year. Payments above £10,000 are not eligible for the government’s supplementary top-up.

All families in England, regardless of income, are entitled to 15 hours of free care or early years training for 38 weeks each year for children aged two. Some daycare providers may enable you to spread these hours out across 52 weeks, so talk to them about what works best for you and your family.

There are 38 weeks of free childcare in England for families with three and four-year-old children, with many providers extending this to 52 weeks.

Working families with three and four-year-old children in England get 30 hours of free childcare for 38 weeks, subject to an income restriction. This may be utilised with one or more providers, and some will extend the hours to 52 weeks to accommodate your schedule.

Tax Credits are another source of assistance for working families in the UK with children under 16 or 17 who are handicapped. This pays 70% of daycare fees up to a certain limit. If you cannot file a fresh Tax Credit claim, you may be eligible for Universal Credit.

Working families in the UK with children under 17 are eligible for Universal Credit for childcare. As long as they are not getting tax-free daycare, they may receive up to 85% of the cost of childcare.

Both Tax Credits and Universal Credits are calculated depending on your household income.

Online calculators may help you figure out which choice is best for you and your family, and they can also assist self-employed people whose income fluctuates.