Which childcare voucher scheme to use

You can change your cookie settings at any time. If you joined one of these schemes on or before 4 October you might be able to keep getting vouchers or directly contracted childcare. If the business you work for changes owner, your employee rights are usually protected. Check with your new employer if you can still get vouchers or directly contracted childcare. You cannot continue to claim childcare vouchers or directly contracted childcare if you successfully apply for Tax-Free Childcare.

Use the childcare calculator to work out which type of support is best for you. You must tell your employer within 90 days if you get Tax-Free Childcare. You can continue to use any vouchers you already have, including to make a joint payment for childcare with Tax-Free Childcare. You can get help with childcare costs for children under You might be able to apply for:. You could also get free hours childcare when your child is aged 2 to 4. You can only get childcare vouchers if you have already joined a scheme.

If the new employer does not offer the Childcare Voucher scheme they can start to do so however it will only be open to those eligible employees who were in the scheme prior to 4 October and are protected under TUPE or COSOP regulations. Freephone Vouchers Login. Sign up to our quarterly newsletter! Home Parents Vouchers Information.

Childcare Vouchers closed to new entrants in October but remains open for anyone already benefiting from the scheme Here are some of our most Frequently Asked Questions about Childcare Vouchers, which are now closed to new entrants. Please note: Childcare Vouchers can only be used to pay for registered childcare costs. The materials and information included in the XpertHR service are provided for reference purposes only. They are not intended either as a substitute for professional advice or judgment or to provide legal or other advice with respect to particular circumstances.

Use of the service is subject to our terms and conditions. View our privacy policy , cookie policy , supported browsers and access your cookie settings. Search within Tasks Search. Share Twitter LinkedIn Facebook. Add a bookmark Your browser does not allow automatic adding of bookmarks. Operate, manage and review a childcare voucher scheme Key points Following the phasing in of the new Tax-Free Childcare scheme from April , from 4 October no new entrants are able to join a childcare voucher scheme.

However, employees already in an existing childcare voucher scheme before this date can continue to benefit from it, provided that they remain employees of the employer, and the employer continues to offer the scheme. It does not compare Universal Credit , so you should separately check your entitlement to that bearing in mind that you cannot use tax-free childcare and UC, and claiming UC will stop your tax credits and other benefits replaced by UC.

The Low Incomes Tax Reform Group website has lots more information about both the childcare voucher and tax-free childcare schemes. If you have further questions and would like to contact our advice team please use our advice contact form below or call us.