{"id":1516,"date":"2025-03-24T14:20:09","date_gmt":"2025-03-24T14:20:09","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.simplybusiness.co.uk\/knowledge\/allowances\/self-employed-tax-free-childcare\/"},"modified":"2025-05-22T13:03:10","modified_gmt":"2025-05-22T13:03:10","slug":"self-employed-tax-free-childcare","status":"publish","type":"knowledge","link":"https:\/\/www.simplybusiness.co.uk\/knowledge\/allowances\/self-employed-tax-free-childcare\/","title":{"rendered":"Self-employed tax-free childcare \u2013 how to apply"},"content":{"rendered":"\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Did you know that you may be eligible for tax-free childcare as a small business owner?<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">While some government childcare schemes aren&#8217;t available to the self-employed, you may still be able to claim tax-free childcare. We spoke to HMRC to find out what childcare support is available to self-employed parents \u2013 keep reading to find out what help you can claim.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong>What childcare support is available for the self-employed?<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">According to experts at HMRC, self-employed parents may be eligible for:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li class=\"wp-block-list-item\"><a href=\"#whatistaxfreechildcare\">tax-free childcare<\/a><\/li>\n\n\n\n<li class=\"wp-block-list-item\">free childcare hours<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li class=\"wp-block-list-item\"><a href=\"#benefits\">Universal Credit<\/a><\/li>\n\n\n\n<li class=\"wp-block-list-item\"><a href=\"#benefits\">tax credits<\/a><\/li>\n\n\n\n<li class=\"wp-block-list-item\"><a href=\"#childbenefit\">Child Benefit<\/a><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"whatistaxfreechildcare\">What is tax-free childcare?<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Tax-free childcare is a scheme operated by the government to provide financial support for new parents with children in childcare.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Parents can receive <strong>up to \u00a32,000 a year <\/strong>for each child to help with the costs of childcare (or \u00a34,000 if your child is disabled). If you qualify, the government will pay \u00a32 for every \u00a38 you pay to your childcare provider. This must be done through a <a href=\"https:\/\/www.gov.uk\/sign-in-childcare-account\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" target=\"_blank\">tax-free childcare online account<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">You\u2019ll need to confirm your details are up to date every three months to keep receiving the government top-up.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">If you have more than one eligible child, you\u2019ll need to register an account for each of them. The government top-up will be applied to deposits made for each child, rather than the full household.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">You may also be able to get <a href=\"https:\/\/www.gov.uk\/30-hours-free-childcare\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" target=\"_blank\">30 hours&#8217; free childcare<\/a> \u2013 a scheme which has been expanded in the <a href=\"\/knowledge\/general\/spring-budget-small-businesses\/\" data-type=\"knowledge\" data-id=\"1254\" >Spring Budget<\/a>. Currently parents living in England may be able to get 30 hours a week of free childcare if their child is aged three or four.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"taxfreechildcarefortheselfemployedeligibility\">Tax-free childcare for the self-employed \u2013 eligibility<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Self-employed people are eligible for tax-free childcare just like employees. In fact, the latest statistics from HMRC show that more than 63,000 families with at least one self-employed parent benefit from tax-free childcare.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><strong>Eligibility depends on:<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li class=\"wp-block-list-item\">whether you&#8217;re currently working<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li class=\"wp-block-list-item\">your income (and partner&#8217;s income, if you have one)<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li class=\"wp-block-list-item\">your child&#8217;s age and circumstances<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li class=\"wp-block-list-item\">your immigration status<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">To be eligible, over the next three months you and your partner (if you have one) must each expect to earn at least:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<div id=\"nba-body-001\">\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li class=\"wp-block-list-item\">\u00a32,167 if you\u2019re aged 23 or older<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li class=\"wp-block-list-item\">\u00a32,117 if you\u2019re aged 21 or 22<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li class=\"wp-block-list-item\">\u00a31,557 if you\u2019re aged 18 to 20<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li class=\"wp-block-list-item\">\u00a31,098 if you\u2019re younger than 18 or an apprentice<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">This works out as at least the <a href=\"\/knowledge\/staff\/what-is-the-national-minimum-wage\/\" data-type=\"knowledge\" data-id=\"1588\" >national minimum wage<\/a> for at least 16 hours a week, on average.  <\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">You can average your self-employment income across the year to meet the minimum income criteria, providing you aren&#8217;t also getting employment income.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Eligibility is capped at \u00a3100,000 a year for each parent.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">If you&#8217;re newly self-employed (within the last 12 months) then you can earn less and still be eligible for tax-free childcare.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Additionally, <strong>your child must be 11 years old or younger<\/strong>, and they must live with you most of the time. You can&#8217;t claim tax-free childcare for foster children, but you can for adopted children. Children stop being eligible from 1 September following their 11th birthday.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">If your child is disabled, the amount you may be entitled to increases to \u00a34,000 a year until they are 1 September after their 16th birthday.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">To qualify for this extra amount, the child must be getting Disability Living Allowance, Personal Independence Payment, Child Disability Payment (in Scotland), or Adult Disability Payment (in Scotland).<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong>What can I use my tax-free childcare allowance for?<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">If you\u2019re running your own business, there can be times when your schedule is unpredictable. Luckily, tax-free childcare is flexible, so you can use it to find a solution that works for your specific needs. You can choose from:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li class=\"wp-block-list-item\">childminders<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li class=\"wp-block-list-item\">nurseries<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li class=\"wp-block-list-item\">nannies<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li class=\"wp-block-list-item\">before and after school clubs<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li class=\"wp-block-list-item\">holiday clubs<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">To use tax-free childcare, you need to make sure the option you choose is approved and listed on <a href=\"https:\/\/www.childcarechoices.gov.uk\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" target=\"_blank\">Childcare Choices<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"benefits\">Tax-free childcare and other benefits<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">You can\u2019t claim tax-free childcare at the same time as Working Tax Credit, Child Tax Credit, or Universal Credit. If you successfully apply for tax-free childcare, your Working Tax Credit or Child Tax Credit will stop immediately and you\u2019ll be unable to apply for them again.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">It can be confusing to determine which scheme you\u2019re better off on. To help with this, you can use the government\u2019s <a href=\"https:\/\/www.gov.uk\/childcare-calculator\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" target=\"_blank\">childcare calculator<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">If you\u2019re already claiming tax credits, you\u2019ll receive a letter from HMRC by 19 June 2024 which may require action on your part:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li class=\"wp-block-list-item\"><strong>if your renewal pack has a red stripe: <\/strong>you\u2019ll need to check your information and report any changes by 31 July 2024 to avoid your payments stopping<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li class=\"wp-block-list-item\"><strong>if your renewal pack has a black stripe:<\/strong> you need to check your information is correct and only have to contact HMRC if you have any changes to make&nbsp;<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"childbenefit\"><strong>Child Benefit<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">You can still use tax-free childcare alongside Child Benefit. In addition to financial aid, Child Benefit means parents qualify for National Insurance credits (useful for protecting your state pension) and also means your child will automatically get a National Insurance number when they turn 16.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Child Benefit is worth:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li class=\"wp-block-list-item\">\u00a325.60 a week for the oldest or only child<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li class=\"wp-block-list-item\">\u00a316.95 a week for additional children<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">It can be claimed by parents and guardians until your child turns 16 \u2013 or 20 if they stay in approved education or training.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">You can check your eligibility and make a claim on the <a href=\"https:\/\/www.gov.uk\/child-benefit\/how-to-claim?&amp;utm_source=press_govuk&amp;utm_medium=referral&amp;utm_campaign=childbenefitclaimonline\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" target=\"_blank\">government website<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"h-april-2025-child-benefit-increase\">April 2025 child benefit increase<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">From April 2025, the amount you of Child Benefit you can receive is increasing to:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li class=\"wp-block-list-item\">\u00a326.05 a week for the oldest or only child<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li class=\"wp-block-list-item\">\u00a317.25 a week for additional children<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\">High Income Child Benefit Charge<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Another thing to be aware of is the High Income Child Benefit Charge, which is when you (or your partner) have an individual income of over \u00a360,000 and receive Child Benefit for a child living with you.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">This threshold is based on individual, and not household, income. Whoever has the higher income in the household is responsible for paying the charge.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Learn more about the Child Benefit over on our <a href=\"\/knowledge\/allowances\/benefits-and-self-employed-minimum-income-floor\/\" data-type=\"knowledge\" data-id=\"1331\" >benefits for self-employed people<\/a> guide.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"howdoiapplyforselfemployedtaxfreechildcare\">How do I apply for self-employed tax-free childcare?<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">You\u2019ll need to <a href=\"https:\/\/www.gov.uk\/apply-for-tax-free-childcare\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" target=\"_blank\">apply online for tax-free childcare<\/a> if you\u2019re self-employed. The process takes around 20 minutes. You\u2019ll need your National Insurance number and your <a href=\"\/knowledge\/business-tax\/what-is-a-utr-number\/\" data-type=\"knowledge\" data-id=\"1195\" >Unique Taxpayer Reference<\/a>, along with those of your partner if applicable.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Some eligibility applications are settled immediately, but it can take up to seven days.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\">More small business guides and resources<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li class=\"wp-block-list-item\"><a href=\"\/knowledge\/cash-flow\/small-business-grants-for-women\/\" data-type=\"knowledge\" data-id=\"1255\" >We need more women small business owners<\/a><\/li>\n\n\n\n<li class=\"wp-block-list-item\"><a href=\"\/knowledge\/staff\/self-employed-maternity-pay\/\" data-type=\"knowledge\" data-id=\"1251\" >A guide to self-employed maternity pay<\/a><\/li>\n\n\n\n<li class=\"wp-block-list-item\"><a href=\"https:\/\/get.simplybusiness.co.uk\/empowering-women-in-business\/\">Empowering Women in Business initiative<\/a><\/li>\n\n\n\n<li class=\"wp-block-list-item\"><a href=\"\/business-insurance\/faq\/what-type-of-business-insurance-do-i-need\/\">What type of business insurance do I need?<\/a><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-group has-azure-200-background-color has-background has-global-padding is-layout-constrained wp-container-core-group-is-layout-94e519ba wp-block-group-is-layout-constrained\" style=\"padding-top:var(--wp--preset--spacing--80);padding-right:var(--wp--preset--spacing--40);padding-bottom:var(--wp--preset--spacing--80);padding-left:var(--wp--preset--spacing--40)\">\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading has-text-align-center\" id=\"lookingforselfemployedinsurance\">Looking for self-employed insurance?<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"has-text-align-center wp-block-paragraph\">With Simply Business you can build a single <a href=\"\/business-insurance\/self-employed-insurance\/\">self employed insurance<\/a> policy combining the covers that are relevant to you. Whether it&#8217;s <a href=\"\/business-insurance\/public-liability-insurance\/\">public liability insurance<\/a>, <a href=\"\/business-insurance\/professional-indemnity-insurance\/\">professional indemnity<\/a> or whatever else you need, we&#8217;ll run you a quick quote online, and let you decide if we&#8217;re a good fit.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-buttons is-content-justification-center is-layout-flex wp-container-core-buttons-is-layout-a89b3969 wp-block-buttons-is-layout-flex\">\n<div class=\"wp-block-button\"><a class=\"wp-block-button__link wp-element-button\" href=\"https:\/\/quote.simplybusiness.co.uk\/business\">Start your quote<\/a><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><em>Photograph: Krakenimages.com\/stock.adobe.com<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n<div id=\"nba-body-end\">\n<\/div>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Find out how to apply for tax-free childcare if you&#8217;re self-employed.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":3,"featured_media":3069,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","template":"","meta":{"sb_hreflang":"","sb_hreflang_url":"","disable_breadcrumbs":false,"sb_breadcrumbs":[],"sb_reviewed_by":"","sb_review_date":"","sb_enable_content_gating":true,"footnotes":""},"categories":[336,353],"hidden-category":[],"coauthors":[24],"class_list":["post-1516","knowledge","type-knowledge","status-publish","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-business-structure","category-allowances"],"yoast_head":"<!-- This site is optimized with the Yoast SEO Premium plugin v27.2 (Yoast SEO v27.2) - https:\/\/yoast.com\/product\/yoast-seo-premium-wordpress\/ -->\n<title>Self-employed tax-free childcare \u2013 a quick-start guide<\/title>\n<meta name=\"description\" content=\"Self-employed people may be eligible for tax-free childcare to help with the cost of raising a child. Find out about eligibility and how to apply.\" \/>\n<meta name=\"robots\" content=\"index, follow, max-snippet:-1, max-image-preview:large, max-video-preview:-1\" \/>\n<link rel=\"canonical\" href=\"https:\/\/www.simplybusiness.co.uk\/knowledge\/allowances\/self-employed-tax-free-childcare\/\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:locale\" content=\"en_GB\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:type\" content=\"article\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:title\" content=\"Can the self-employed get tax-free childcare?\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:description\" content=\"Find out if you&#039;re eligible for tax-free childcare as a small business owner. 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Starting her career in health insurance, she also worked in education marketing before returning to the insurance world. <a href=\\\"https:\/\/www.linkedin.com\/in\/rosannaparrish\/\\\" target=\\\"_blank\\\" rel=\\\"noopener\\\">Connect with Rosanna on LinkedIn.<\/a>\"},\"headline\":\"Self-employed tax-free childcare \u2013 how to apply\",\"datePublished\":\"2025-03-24T14:20:09+00:00\",\"dateModified\":\"2025-05-22T13:03:10+00:00\",\"mainEntityOfPage\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.simplybusiness.co.uk\/knowledge\/allowances\/self-employed-tax-free-childcare\/\"},\"wordCount\":1147,\"commentCount\":0,\"publisher\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.simplybusiness.co.uk\/#organization\"},\"image\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.simplybusiness.co.uk\/knowledge\/allowances\/self-employed-tax-free-childcare\/#primaryimage\"},\"thumbnailUrl\":\"https:\/\/www.simplybusiness.co.uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/3\/2024\/05\/tax-free-childcare.jpg\",\"articleSection\":[\"Business structure\",\"Self-employed allowances\"],\"inLanguage\":\"en-GB\",\"potentialAction\":[{\"@type\":\"CommentAction\",\"name\":\"Comment\",\"target\":[\"https:\/\/www.simplybusiness.co.uk\/knowledge\/allowances\/self-employed-tax-free-childcare\/#respond\"]}]},{\"@type\":\"WebPage\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.simplybusiness.co.uk\/knowledge\/allowances\/self-employed-tax-free-childcare\/\",\"url\":\"https:\/\/www.simplybusiness.co.uk\/knowledge\/allowances\/self-employed-tax-free-childcare\/\",\"name\":\"Self-employed tax-free childcare \u2013 a quick-start guide\",\"isPartOf\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.simplybusiness.co.uk\/#website\"},\"primaryImageOfPage\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.simplybusiness.co.uk\/knowledge\/allowances\/self-employed-tax-free-childcare\/#primaryimage\"},\"image\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.simplybusiness.co.uk\/knowledge\/allowances\/self-employed-tax-free-childcare\/#primaryimage\"},\"thumbnailUrl\":\"https:\/\/www.simplybusiness.co.uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/3\/2024\/05\/tax-free-childcare.jpg\",\"datePublished\":\"2025-03-24T14:20:09+00:00\",\"dateModified\":\"2025-05-22T13:03:10+00:00\",\"description\":\"Self-employed people may be eligible for tax-free childcare to help with the cost of raising a child. 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