Help with child-care costs

Claims for housing benefit and council tax benefit include help for parents with child-care costs.

The cost of child-care, up to the limits shown in this leaflet, may be taken off your earnings, working tax credit or child tax credit when we calculate your overall benefit. This may increase the total benefit that you are entitled to.

Who can claim child-care costs?

Single parents can claim if:

• you work 16 hours or more a week; or
• you are on maternity leave and receiving Statutory Maternity Pay or Maternity Allowance.

Couples can claim if:

• both of you work 16 hours or more a week; or
• one of you works 16 hours or more a week and the other is disabled or blind or receiving other benefits; or
• one of you works 16 hours or more a week and the other is on maternity leave and receiving Statutory Maternity Pay or Maternity Allowance.

What child-care costs qualify?

The child must be under 15 years old, or under 16 if they are disabled.

Their care must be provided by one of the following:

• a registered child-minder;
• a registered nursery or play scheme;
• an out-of-hours scheme run by an approved provider. The out-of-hours scheme will be able to tell you whether or not they are approved;
• an out-of-hours club or scheme provided by a school on school premises or by a local authority. This usually only applies if the child is 8 or over;
• a child-care scheme on Crown property (property owned by Her Majesty or a government department) where registration is not required.
• an organisation accredited by the Secretary of State under the Tax Credit regulations.

We will need proof of the child-care payments you make and the childminder's registration number.

How much can be allowed?

The maximum costs for child-care that can be allowed are:

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

How and when should I claim?

If you have not already made a claim for child-care costs on the housing and council tax benefit claim form, and you think that you may qualify, you should contact us as soon as possible.

Page last reviewed 13 Feb 2008