Childcare Providers - Implementing 30 hours and Tax-Free Childcare
In September 2017, the government introduced 2 new childcare offers to support working parents:
- 30 hours free childcare
- Tax Free Childcare
Below is some information to help childcare providers, including schools, implement these offers.
If you would like to offer 30 hour places: please complete and submit an Expression of Interest Form (PDF, 57KB) to Haringey's Early Help Commissioning Team. For guidance on offering 30-hour places, please see our resources section below.
Note: some parents have been unable to access Tax-Free Childcare through their childcare account for technical reasons. If this has happened to your parents, they may be able to claim compensation - see details below.
If you are a parent, please view our parents’ information page.
Childcare Provider Portal
This service allows registered childcare providers in Haringey to complete, manage and submit funding and related information - in a quick and simple way. Access to the Childcare Provider Portal will only be granted at the request of the manager in writing by email to: earlyyearsprovider@haringey.gov.uk and once training has been completed.
For more information, please view our Childcare Provider Portal page.
30 hours free childcare
Working parents of 3 and 4-year-olds can receive up to 30 hours free childcare, this is an extension of the current universal entitlement of 15 hours a week.
Eligible parents can now apply for 30 hours free entitlement either online at the Childcare Choices website (external link) or those without Internet access can call the Childcare Service Customer Interaction Centre on 0300 123 4097.
Parents can set up an account online and apply for both 30 hours free childcare and Tax-Free childcare at the same time.
When can children start?
If the child is eligible for 30 hours free childcare they can start the term after their third birthday - see the table below:
| Turns three between: | Can start from: | Parent to register online (external link) and submit 30 hour eligibility code to provider by: |
|---|---|---|
| 1 April to 31 August | 1 September (autumn term) | 15 August |
| 1 September to 31 December | 1 January (spring term) | 15 December |
| 1 January to 31 March | 1 April (summer term) | 15 March |
For more information on how to prepare for offering 30 hour free places - please see our resources section below.
Tax-Free Childcare
Parents can get up to £2,000 per child, per year, towards their childcare costs or up to £4,000 for a child with a disability. Parents can apply for both 30 hours free childcare and Tax-Free childcare at the same time on the government's Childcare Choices website (external link).
In order for providers to receive Tax-Free childcare payments, they need to sign up with their User ID and Unique Tax Reference (UTR). These are the numbers that HM Revenue and Customs (HMRC) gave providers when they first told HMRC that they were working for themselves. You can find your UTR on any HMRC communications, for example, your tax statement or payment reminder, or by logging onto your Personal Tax Account. If you can’t find your UTR number or User ID, HMRC can send these numbers to your address.
For more information, call the childcare service helpline on 0300 123 4097.
Local authority schools and maintained settings, including children's centres who provide childcare such as wraparound childcare, after school clubs and holiday schemes, are unlikely to have their own UTR, therefore can use their local authority's UTR and postcode to sign up - as per local authority guidance letter already provided.
To create an account - please go to the Childcare Support Tax Service website (external link).
Read more about Tax-Free childcare at GOV.UK (external link).
Technical issues
If parents haven’t been able to complete their application and get their 30 hours free childcare code for technical reasons, they should call HMRC on 0300 123 4097.