Estimate your childcare costs including government free hours, disability allowance, Tax-Free Childcare — with a full month-by-month breakdown.
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Your Child
Tell us about your child so we can apply the correct government funding entitlements.
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Hours & Schedule
Choose which days your child attends, how many hours per day, and whether you need term-time or year-round care.
Days attending nursery
Mon
Tue
Wed
Thu
Fri
3 days selected (Mon, Tue, Wed)
Attendance pattern
Term-time only
Year-round
Weeks per term (edit to match your nursery)
Total term weeks: 38. Holiday months show £0 in the month-by-month table.
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Government Free Hours
Are you claiming your government-funded free childcare hours? Eligible children get 15–30 hours per week.
Are you receiving free hours?
Yes — claiming free hours
No — not claiming
Are you eligible for 30 hours (working parents)?
Yes — 30 hours eligible
No — 15 hours (universal)
ℹ What are the 30-hour eligibility criteria?
Both parents (or a single parent) must earn at least the equivalent of 16 hours/week at the National Minimum Wage, and neither parent earns over £100,000/year. Apply via the Childcare Choices website and renew your code every 3 months.
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You may be missing out
Most children aged 3–4 qualify for at least 15 free hours/week, with some eligible from 9 months. Check at childcarechoices.gov.uk.
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Disability Living Allowance
Children under 16 with a disability or long-term health condition may be entitled to DLA — paid directly to you on top of any nursery funding.
Does your child receive Disability Living Allowance (DLA)?
Yes — receiving DLA
No
Care Component Rate (2024–25)
Lower — £28.70/wk
Middle — £72.65/wk
Higher — £108.55/wk
Mobility Component Rate (if applicable)
Lower — £28.70/wk
Higher — £75.75/wk
Not applicable
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Disability Access Fund (DAF)
If your child receives DLA care component and takes up free hours, the nursery is eligible for the Disability Access Fund (£910/year). Tax-Free Childcare also has a higher cap of £4,000/year for disabled children.
ℹ What other support is available for children with SEND?
Beyond DLA, children with additional needs may also access: Early Years Pupil Premium (EYPP) paid to their nursery, the SEND Inclusion Fund from your local authority, and an Education, Health and Care (EHC) plan for more complex needs. Contact your local Family Information Service for personalised guidance.
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Tax-Free Childcare
Eligible working parents receive a 25% government top-up on childcare payments — up to £2,000/year (£4,000 for disabled children).
Are you using (or planning to use) Tax-Free Childcare?
Yes — I use Tax-Free Childcare
No — not using TFC
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Could you be saving money?
Working parents earning between 16 hrs/week at NMW and £100,000/year can apply at childcarechoices.gov.uk. Note: TFC cannot be used alongside employer childcare vouchers.
ℹ How does Tax-Free Childcare work?
Open a TFC account via HMRC’s Childcare Service. For every £8 you deposit, the government adds £2 (25% top-up), up to £500/quarter per child (£2,000/year), or £1,000/quarter for disabled children (£4,000/year). Pay nursery fees directly from this account.
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Additional Costs
Select any extras your nursery charges for — tick to activate, then edit the amount to match your nursery’s actual figure.
Meals & Snacks
£
/month
Nappies & Wipes
£
/month
Trips & Activities
£
/month
Uniform / Clothing
£
/month
Wraparound Care
£
/month
Registration Deposit
£
one-off
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Nursery Top-Up Fee on Free Hours
Some nurseries charge an additional hourly top-up on government-funded hours to cover costs not met by the funding rate. Enter the amount your nursery charges per free hour below.
£
per free hour
£
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Your Estimated Costs
After all applicable free hours, disability support, and Tax-Free Childcare savings.
Average Monthly Cost
£0
after all funding & savings
Per Week
£0
nursery weeks
Annual
£0
full year
Free Hours
£0
saved/yr
TFC Saving
£0
saved/yr
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Cost Breakdown
A detailed look at every element of your monthly estimate.
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Month-by-Month Costs
Your estimated costs for each calendar month based on nursery weeks attended. Holiday months show £0 for nursery fees.
Month
Nursery Weeks
Nursery Cost
Extras
Savings
Total Due
This calculator provides estimates only. Actual costs vary by nursery, location, and individual circumstances.
Government funding entitlements based on current UK policy (2024–25). DLA rates are 2024–25 weekly rates.
Tax-Free Childcare saving reflects the 25% top-up applied to nursery costs up to the applicable annual cap.
Month-by-month figures are based on typical UK term dates — confirm exact schedules with your nursery.
Verify all entitlements at childcarechoices.gov.uk and gov.uk/dla-disability-living-allowance-benefit.