TFC – TAX-FREE CHILDCARE 

GET UP TO £2000 PER CHILD per year.

  • For working families, including the self-employed, in the UK
  • Earning under £100k and at least £139 per week (equal to 16 hours at the National Minimum or Living Wage) each
  • Who aren’t receiving Tax Credits, Universal Credit or childcare vouchers (TFC replaces childcare vouchers)
  • With children aged 0-11 (or 0-16 if disabled)
  • For every £8 you pay into an online account, the government will add an extra £2, up to £2,000 per child per year

You can receive up to £2,000 per child per year – that’s up to £500 every three months. If you have a disabled child, you can receive up to £4,000 per child – that’s up to £1,000 every three months.

Am I eligible?

You, and any partner, must be over 16 and each expect to earn (on average) at least £139 per week (equal to 16 hours at the National Minimum or Living Wage).

If you, or your partner, are on maternity, paternity or adoption leave, or you’re unable to work because you are disabled or have caring responsibilities, you could still be eligible.

You can’t get Tax-Free Childcare if either you, or your partner, each individually expect to earn £100,000 or more.

Find out more about eligibility on www.gov.uk/tax-free-childcare

Apply for TFC (Tax Free Childcare Account)

Apply at www.gov.uk/apply-for-tax-free-childcare

If eligible, you’ll get an online childcare account.

How can I use it?

You can use Tax-Free Childcare all year round to spend on regulated childcare, such as:

  • Childminders, nurseries and nannies
  • Before and after-school clubs and holiday clubs

For example, if your childcare costs are £750 per month, you would pay £600 into your childcare account and the government would pay in £150. This would be an annual saving of £1,800 per child.

Please view the step by step guide on how to use Tax-Free Childcare.

You can use Tax-Free Childcare at the same time as (where available):

  • 15 hours free childcare
  • 30 hours free childcare

You can’t use it with:

How does it work month to month?

1. Logon to your TFC online account and select your Tiptoes Nursery and to link us

Your childcare provider(s) must sign up to receive Tax-Free Childcare payments. All Tiptoes Nurseries are signed up to receive TFC.

2. Pay money into your online childcare account

You can deposit money into your childcare account using a debit card, but it’s quicker by standing order or bank transfer. We’ll add the government top up automatically and you can use this money when it shows as ‘available’.

3. Pay your Tiptoes Invoice

Use the money in your childcare account, including the government top up, to make one off or regular payments to your childcare provider(s).

When you have paid money into your TFC account you will then need to log back in to inform your account to pay Tiptoes or setup a monthly payment to your nursery.