Enter one payment, a monthly childcare cost or the full eligibility-period cost. You'll see what to pay into the account, the government top-up and the amount left in this child's current period.
Your Deposit
£1.00
unlocks 25p of top-up
Usual Period Limit
£500
£1,000 for eligible disabled children
Keep It Accurate
Use HMRC Dates
periods are normally 3 months
Add your first child to start calculating government contributions for your childcare costs.
Estimate what you pay into a child's account, what the government adds and how much top-up remains in the current eligibility period.
Last reviewed:
1. Add the child
Use the eligibility-period start shown in the HMRC childcare account and enter any top-up already received in that period.
2. Choose the cost period
Enter one payment, a monthly childcare cost or the total cost for the current eligibility period. Monthly mode also shows a three-month planning estimate.
3. Read the capped result
The result separates your contribution, the government top-up and the top-up left after this estimate.
For one month, you pay £640 into the childcare account and the government adds £160, giving the provider £800.
| Period | Childcare total | You pay in | Government adds | Standard top-up left |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| One month | £800 | £640 | £160 | £340 |
| Three equal months | £2,400 | £1,920 | £480 | £20 |
This example starts with no top-up used. If the account has already received a top-up in the period, add that amount so the calculator can reduce the remaining allowance.
Standard top-up cap
£500 every 3 months
Up to £2,000 a year for each child.
Eligible disabled-child cap
£1,000 every 3 months
Up to £4,000 a year for each child.
The cap is sometimes described as quarterly, but it is not a calendar-quarter budget. Use the dates in your childcare account and reconfirm your details every three months.
This independent calculator provides an estimate, not personalised financial advice or an HMRC eligibility decision. Check your childcare account before making a payment.
Official sources: What Tax-Free Childcare is, Check if you are eligible, Compare help with childcare costs.
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