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Help with childcare costs

 
There are a range of benefits and funds that could help to pay for childcare when a parent or carer is working, training or volunteering.  To access any help, childcare must always be with registered (or ‘exempt from registration’) provision.

Tax Credits

Parent or carers eligible to claim Working Tax Credits (WTC) may also be able to get some help with childcare costs while they work. 

Help is presently available towards up to 80% of childcare costs, up to a maximum of £175 a week for one child or £300 for two or more children.

Lone parents and some couples (if both parents work 16 hours or more a week or where one parent is sick) may get this help and it may also be available while the parent is on maternity or paternity leave. 

How much help is available depends on family circumstances.

For more information or to make a claim, parents should contact the Tax Credit Helpline on 0845 300 3900 or visit the HM Revenue and Customs website following the link to the right.

Childcare Affordability Programme

This fund is available from the London Development Agency and is designed to specifically help to make childcare more affordable in London. 

Part of the fund subsidises and makes available more flexible childcare places for under-5s in participating nursery settings [need information to link to], 

Another part of this fund can help some parents who are unable to access other sources of help with their childcare costs. 

More information about the criteria and eligibility of parents is available from Greenwich Children’s Information Service using the contact details to the right.

Care2Learn

Young parents under 20 may qualify for help with their childcare costs if they are returning to education, training or voluntary work. 

Care2Learn can be contacted on 0845 600 2809. Link to Care2Learn form 

Further and higher education childcare funds

Local further education or higher education colleges receive Learner Support Funds that are available to support their student’s childcare costs. 

These funds are limited and students should approach their college as soon as possible to get advice about this.

JobCentre Plus

JobCentre Plus can advise and assist financially in a number of ways to support the transition from benefits to education, training and employment. 

Parents, particularly lone parents, should discuss with their JobCentre Plus advisor about any possible help before any commitment is made to training etc and to ensure they access all the financial and other support they are entitled to. 

For further information visit the JobCentre Plus website link to the right.

Further information on help with childcare costs is in the Benefits section.

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