Childcare support in universal credit is paid through the childcare element. To qualify for this you need to meet the basic and financial conditions of universal credit and also meet the conditions for the childcare element of universal credit.

Each childcare scheme has different qualifying rules and often the amount you receive can be different. Sometimes if you claim help from one scheme, that can stop you claiming help from other schemes or it may reduce the amount you can claim. You may need to work out which scheme is best for you. ...

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

This page explains how much you can save by taking childcare vouchers offered by your employer. Different rules apply depending on when you joined your employer’s scheme. The rules for claiming childcare vouchers changed from 4 October 2018 – see our Childcare vouchers page for more information.

Childcare vouchers are a type of employer-supported childcare (employer-supported childcare) scheme. This page explains who can claim childcare vouchers. 

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.