Summer holiday Tax-Free Childcare reminder

17.06.2021
Shaun Davison
Tax
Stock image of a child

With the summer holidays approaching, HM Revenue & Customs (HMRC) are reminding working families that Tax-Free Childcare top-ups can be used to help pay for childcare costs, such as accredited holiday clubs, childminders, or sport activities.

Stock image of a child

Currently, working parents can claim up to £500 every 3 months (up to £2,000 per year) for children aged 11 or under, via the government’s Tax-Free Childcare scheme, which can help pay towards approved childcare costs.

Where a child has a disability, the cap is increased to £1,000 every 3 months (up to £4,000 per year) and can be claimed for children up to the age of 17.

As well as accredited nurseries and childminders, the Tax-Free Childcare scheme can be used to pay accredited holiday clubs and play schemes. Families can therefore continue to benefit from the Tax-Free Childcare scheme during the summer holidays.

In a statement, HMRC say ”We want to help kids stay active this summer, whether they are going to summer holiday clubs or a childminder. A childcare top-up will go a long way towards helping parents plan and pay for summer activities to keep their kids happy and healthy.”

If you qualify for Tax-Free Childcare, you can set up an online childcare account for your child. For every £8 you pay into this account, the government will pay in a further £2, which you can then use to pay your childcare provider. 

Each eligible child requires their own Tax-Free Childcare account. If families have more than one eligible child, they will need to register an account for each child. The government top-up is then applied to deposits made for each child, not per household. 

You can also get Tax-Free Childcare at the same time as 30 hours free childcare if you are eligible for both. 

Check your eligibility here.

Or discuss this further with an adviser



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