Annual childcare support model
Gross cost split between modelled family payment and support.
Annual value
Childcare Eligibility Calculator
Check a simplified view of funded childcare and Tax-Free Childcare support using current UK scheme assumptions.
Funded hoursLikely eligible
Tax-Free ChildcareLikely eligible
Modelled support£10,920
Eligibility checks
Children modelledSame assumptions are applied to each child1
Income under £100,000 eachYes
Working requirementMarked as met
Rules year6 April 2026 to 5 April 20272026/27
England funded-hours age rangeIn range
Tax-Free Childcare age rangeIn range
Support estimate
Annual childcare cost£9,000 per child£9,000
Funded-hours value30 hours for 38 weeks per child, using your hourly rate£9,120
Tax-Free Childcare top-upHousehold cap used: £2,000 per year£1,800
Childcare cost after modelled support£0
Assumptions
Calculation notes
- England funded-hours support is modelled from the selected 2026/27 rules table and assumes work and income checks are met.
- Tax-Free Childcare is modelled as a 20.0% top-up on childcare costs, capped per child at £2,000 per year or £4,000 for a disabled child.
- For multiple children, the calculator applies the same age, disability, cost, and hourly-rate assumptions to each child.
- Use the official government childcare checker before making decisions.
Eligibility check
How childcare support is screened
This tool points toward likely support routes, then encourages cost modelling because eligibility alone does not show the bill.
Rule checks
The eligibility calculator applies simplified household checks for age, work status, income and selected UK childcare-support rules.
It then points users toward the cost calculators because eligibility does not by itself show the monthly bill.
Eligibility pathchild age + household work/income assumptions + rule year -> simplified eligibility estimate
Household scenario
Example: turning eligibility into a budget
- Child age: entered by user
- Parent work and income assumptions: selected by user
- Rule year: selected by user
Result: The result indicates which support routes may be worth checking officially.
Eligibility should be confirmed with official guidance before changing childcare arrangements.
What to confirm officially
- Local authority rules, exact dates of birth, provider participation and benefit interactions can change the answer.
- Use nursery cost and childcare-hours tools to estimate the practical household effect.
Content reviewed: 7 September 2026.
Guide
Childcare Eligibility Calculator notes
Estimate whether a family may fit common childcare-support rules and model the possible household value of funded hours and tax-free top-up.
Choose the rules year that matches the scenario you are checking.
Review the calculation notes where rules, tax years, thresholds, or eligibility affect the result.
FAQs
Childcare Eligibility Calculator FAQs
What is the Childcare Eligibility Calculator for?
Estimate whether a family may fit common childcare-support rules and model the possible household value of funded hours and tax-free top-up.