Childcare costs: getting support - April 2024 Child Poverty Action Group works on behalf of the one in four children in Scotland

What childcare is covered? The childcare element can cover approved childcare costs incurred and paid by the parent from birth until the age of 15, or 16 if the child is disabled. [...] You must tell HMRC within one month of the date childcare costs went down or the date you became of aware of the change if that was later (although if you pay a fixed weekly charge and this has gone down, you should have one month from the end of the 4-week run-on period). [...] What childcare is covered The childcare element in UC can cover approved childcare costs paid for a child for whom you are responsible, up to the 1st September after the 16th birthday. [...] Childcare costs include: • an amount paid up to a month before starting work if you have been offered a job, to allow a settling in period for the child; • upfront fees or costs paid up to two months in advance, (but universal credit is paid in arrears, and only after the childcare has been both provided and paid for); • costs paid in a monthly assessment period for childcare provided in a previou. [...] You cannot get WTC or UC childcare element for the part of the childcare costs covered by the vouchers.