Working families in Sefton whose children start school in September can save up to £2,000 per year per child on wraparound care bills through the national Tax-Free Childcare scheme.

Working families need childcare

Many working families need childcare for the start and end of the school day, or during school holidays. Through Tax-Free Childcare they can get up to £2,000 a year per child - £4,000 if their child is disabled - towards the cost of that care. 

To check if you qualify for Tax-Free Childcare and to register, visit www.gov.uk/get-tax-free-childcare. 

Tax-Free Childcare can be used to pay for any approved childcare for children aged 11 or under. This extends to 16 if the child has a disability.

Arrange to suit

Parents and carers can arrange their childcare to suit them. It can be wraparound care before and after work, a childminder, after school clubs or school holiday care.

For every £8 you put into a Tax-Free Childcare account, the government tops it by £2. This means you can receive up to £500 per child every 3 months to help pay for your childcare costs. This goes up to £1,000 when a child is disabled.

Once you open an account, you can deposit money and use it straight away or keep it in the account to use it whenever it’s needed. Any unused money in the account can be withdrawn at any time.  

Already making arrangements

Cllr Diane Roscoe, Sefton Council’s Cabinet Member for Children Schools and Families, said: “Thousands of Sefton families will be already thinking out arrangements for their children starting school next year. And for many working households that means thinking about the childcare they will need, either before and after work or during the holidays and the costs of that care.

“By providing up to £2,000 a year, and twice that for children with disabilities, the Government’s Tax-Free Childcare scheme will provide vital support for those families. Giving those families

“I would urge parents and carers whose children are starting school in Sefton next year to visit www.gov.uk/get-tax-free-childcare now to find out more and register for an account.”

More money into the pockets of working people

Darren Jones, Chief Secretary to the Treasury said: “Through our Plan for Change, we are putting more money into the pockets of working people, worth up to £2,000 per year through Tax-Free Childcare.

“This will make it easier for parents to get back into work as we go further and faster to grow the economy."

How you qualify

To qualify for the Tax-Free Childcare scheme if you need to:  

• have a child or children aged 11 or under. (They stop being eligible on 1 September after their 11th birthday. If their child has a disability, they receive up to £4,000 a year until 1 September after their 16th birthday).
• expect to earn, at least the National Minimum Wage or Living Wage for 16 hours a week, on average.  
• earn no more than £100,000 per annum.  
• not be receiving Universal Credit or childcare vouchers.  

A full list of the eligibility criteria is available at www.gov.uk/get-tax-free-childcare.