These links will give you more information on ways to pay for your childcare or click here to download our "Help with paying for childcare costs booklet"

Most families

• Free nursery education for 3 & 4 year olds
  All 3 & 4 year olds are entitled to a free part-time nursery place.


• Child tax credits
  Many families can get tax credits, make sure you claim.

Working?

• Childcare vouchers
  These are tax free payments from your salary. Your employer needs to sign up for this scheme. Note, this can affect the amount of tax credit you get.
• Working Tax Credit (Childcare Element)
  The government helps some working families with childcare costs through Working Tax Credit.

Starting work?

• In Work Credit
  For lone parents who have been on benefits for over a year and have recently started a job, you may be entitled to £60 a week on top of your wages and other benefits for a year! Contact your Jobcentre Plus now to find out more.

Studying or training?

• Financial help for students
  Help with paying for childcare whilst you study. Links to a range of schemes. You can also visit the DirectGov website for the latest information.

Preventing a crisis?

• Targeted Childcare Places Project – preventing a family crisis
  If your family are having a difficult time, and providing free childcare for a child under 5 would prevent a major crisis, then this project may be able to help by paying for childcare for a short period. Your health worker, doctor or support worker needs to contact 020 8820 7590 to fill out an application form. (If social workers have a statutory duty to be involved then we wouldn’t fund a place ? then they should apply to the Children in Need fund.)


• 2 Year olds free childcare pilot
  Free part-time childcare for families needing extra support.

This information is provided by the Family Information Service.