Introduction

You can benefit from a wide range of different funding depending on your circumstances and the age of your children.

This is a brief guide to how you could cut your childcare costs.

Find our more

Go to Childcare choices. This is the new, easy to use website where all government funded childcare is brought together.

You can also work out how much help you might be entitled to on the GOV.UK website.

Search for childcare in Brighton & Hove.

Tax Free childcare

This is an online account for working parents to help pay for childcare, which is topped up by the government.

For every £8 that you put in, the government will make a payment of £2 to a maximum of £2,000 per child, per year, or £4,000 if your child is disabled.

You can have an account for each of your children up to age 12 to pay your childcare provider.

You cannot claim both Tax Free Childcare and Universal Credit or the Childcare Element of Working Tax Credit. Get Tax-Free Childcare.

Free childcare for 2 year olds

Some 2 year olds are entitled to up to 570 hours of free childcare spread across the year.

The amount of hours that you receive will depend on factors including:

  • when you apply
  • the date your child starts
  • when the childcare provider is able to offer sessions
  • how these fit in with your requirements 

To qualify, parents must be in receipt of eligible benefits or tax credits. Find out if you are entitled to free childcare and apply online.

Universal free childcare for 3 and 4 year olds

All 3 and 4 year olds are entitled to free childcare from the term after their child’s third birthday. Parents are entitled to up to 570 hours of childcare over the year.

The amount of hours that you receive will depend on factors including:

  • when you apply
  • the date your child starts
  • when the childcare provider is able to offer sessions
  • how these fit in with your requirements 

There’s no need to apply, just speak to your chosen childcare provider about availability.

Childcare Element of Working Tax Credit

Parents who are claiming Working Tax Credit and are on a low income, may be able to claim up to 70% of their childcare costs. You cannot claim the Childcare Element of Working Tax Credit and Tax Free Childcare.

Find out more about Working Tax credit.

Universal Credit

As part of Universal Credit, parents may be able to claim up to 85% of childcare costs. You cannot claim both Universal Credit and Tax Free Childcare.

Find out more about Universal Credit.

Help for students

Care to Learn is paid to parents aged under 20 at the start of their course in school or 6th form college.

Find out more about Care to Learn.

The Childcare Grant is available for students in higher education who are eligible for student finance.

Find out more about the Childcare grant.

Get extra help

Contact us if you need some help to understand the different types of childcare funding and what you might be entitled to.

You can search for all local Ofsted registered childcare, as well as for services that can support your family on our online directory.

If you can’t find what you are looking for, or need some extra help, you can contact the Family Information Service and speak to an adviser.