Working Tax Credit - Can I get help with Childcare through Working Tax Credit?

If you are already getting tax credits, you may be able to get help with your childcare costs through your tax credits.

You can only get help with the costs of childcare provided by an approved childcare provider.

The Childcare Element of Working Tax Credit is for:

• Single people who work at least 16 hours a week; or
• Couples who both work at least 16 hours a week; or  
• Couples where one works at least 16 hours a week and the other is getting Employment and Support Allowance (ESA), Personal Independence Payment (PIP), Adult Disability Payment, Disability Living Allowance (DLA), Attendance Allowance, Pension Age Disability Payment (Scotland); or
• Couples where one works at least 16 hours a week and the other is entitled to Carer's Allowance; or
• Couples where one works at least 16 hours a week and the other is in hospital or in prison (serving a sentence or remanded in custody).

You can get up to 70 per cent of what you pay in childcare, as long as your childcare costs are not more than:

• £175 per week for one child
• £300 per week for two or more children.

If your childcare costs more than this, you will be treated as if your childcare costs this amount when working out the Childcare Element of your Working Tax Credit.

If you get childcare vouchers from your employer, you must deduct these from the amount of your childcare costs when claiming the childcare element of tax credits. Some people will be better off claiming tax credits with the childcare element rather than childcare vouchers. You can check this using the government's childcare calculator.