Childcare vouchers can only be used to pay for childcare from a registered or approved provider.

You can get some free childcare places in most parts of the UK, although the arrangements are different across England, Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland. You can contact your local Family Information Service for more information about free childcare hours and childcare in your area.

Universal credit is a means-tested benefit providing help with living costs for people who are in or  out of work. Universal credit is made up of several different elements including a childcare element. If you meet the qualifying rules, then you may be able to claim up to 85% of your ...

Tax-free childcare is a government childcare support scheme. It replaces directly contracted childcare and childcare vouchers offered by employers for new claimants. This page explains how Tax-free childcare works.

The tax credits system closed from 5 April 2025. Most tax credit claimants were invited to claim universal credit or pension credit before 5 April 2025. Those who received a migration notice or tax credit closure notice, may have qualified for transitional protection which can lead to an extra ...

Some employers offer employer-supported childcare to help towards the costs of qualifying childcare. It is up to your employer whether they decide to offer employer-supported childcare or not. There are three types of employer-supported childcare.