Tax-Free Childcare — Eligibility & Limits
Tax-Free Childcare (TFC) tops up parent contributions by 25% — £2 of government money for every £8 you pay in, capped at £2,000 per child per year (£4,000 if disabled). Eligibility is straightforward in principle but has several traps worth understanding before applying.
How TFC works
You open a Tax-Free Childcare online account at gov.uk and pay money in like a regular bank account. For every £8 you deposit, the government adds £2 automatically. You then pay registered childcare providers directly from the TFC account.
The maximum government top-up is £500 per quarter per child (£2,000/yr), or £1,000 per quarter for a disabled child (£4,000/yr). To get the full £500 quarterly you'd need to deposit £2,000 per quarter (£8,000/yr per child).
Eligibility tests
- Each working parent must earn at least the National Living Wage equivalent for 16 hours/week — about £167.94/week (2026-27, age 21+). Both parents in a two-parent household must meet this; the test is per individual, not household.
- Neither parent can earn over £100,000 in adjusted net income. Bonus and dividends count. This is the most-tripped trap — a single £100k+ earner makes the household ineligible even if the other parent earns nothing.
- The child must be 11 or under (16 if disabled), and the childcare must be Ofsted-registered or equivalent.
- You must be in the UK (or be a UK resident posted abroad in certain circumstances) and have the right to work.
- You must reconfirm eligibility every 3 months through your online account, or the account becomes inactive.
What TFC is mutually exclusive with
You cannot use TFC at the same time as:
- Universal Credit childcare element (UC childcare often pays more for low-income families — check the UC calculator first).
- Childcare vouchers (the legacy salary-sacrifice scheme closed to new joiners October 2018 — existing members can continue but must choose one or the other).
- Tax credits with childcare element.
You can combine TFC with:
- The 30 hours free childcare (in England) for working parents with children aged 9 months to school age.
- The universal 15 hours free for 3-4 year olds.
- Workplace childcare benefit (where the employer pays the provider directly — uncommon).
Common worked examples
Family with one 2-year-old, £10,000/year childcare spend: Pay £8,000 from net income into TFC, government adds £2,000, total £10,000 covers full spend. Net family benefit: £2,000/year.
Family with two children (3 and 5), £18,000/year combined childcare: Each child eligible for £2,000 top-up. Pay £14,400 in, government adds £3,600, total £18,000. Net family benefit: £3,600/year.
Single high-earner family, £105,000 salary, £12,000/year childcare: Not eligible — the £100,000 cap excludes the household entirely. Family must use the legacy voucher scheme (if joined before October 2018) or pay full cost.
Setting up and managing your account
Apply online at gov.uk/apply-for-tax-free-childcare. You'll need your National Insurance number, your child's birth certificate details, and your bank account. The setup takes 5-10 minutes; approval usually arrives within 7 days. Set up automatic monthly transfers from your bank to spread cash flow.
