About

Who runs this, and why

Childcare is one of the largest costs a UK household takes on. Full-time nursery in many parts of the UK runs to over £1,000 a month, and in London and the South East it can be £1,500 or more, which puts it in the same bracket as a mortgage payment for a lot of families.

Childcare Calculator exists to put those numbers in one place before you commit to a provider. What does nursery cost per week at your provider's rate? How does a childminder compare? And how much of it can government support cover?

Government help you might be missing

The UK government offers several schemes to help with childcare costs, but navigating them can be confusing. Here's what's available:

Tax-Free Childcare

For every £8 you pay into your childcare account, the government adds £2. That's up to £2,000 per child per year (or £4,000 for disabled children). Both parents need to be working and earning at least the National Minimum Wage for 16 hours a week, and neither can earn over £100,000 a year.

Free Childcare hours

  • 15 hours free (age 2): Available for eligible 2-year-olds from lower-income families
  • 15 hours free (age 3-4): Universal entitlement for all 3 and 4-year-olds, whatever the parents earn or do
  • 30 hours free (9 months to 4 years): Extended entitlement for working parents. The expansion from 3 and 4-year-olds down to 9-month-olds completed in September 2025

These hours are term-time only (38 weeks), but some providers let you spread them across the full year.

Universal Credit Childcare element

If you're on Universal Credit, you can claim back up to 85% of your childcare costs, up to £1,071.09 per month for one child or £1,836.16 for two or more children. You do need to pay upfront and claim back, which can be a challenge, but it's a significant amount of support. The current caps are on gov.uk.

Why we built this

The cost of childcare shouldn't be a surprise. Whether you're expecting your first child and trying to plan ahead, or you're looking at options for your second and wondering how the maths works, this calculator helps you see the full picture. Enter your hours, your provider's rates, and your eligibility for government help, and get a clear breakdown of what you'll actually pay.

Everything runs in your browser. We don't store your data, we don't need an account, and it's completely free. Because working out whether you can afford childcare shouldn't itself cost anything.

Important

The figures on this site are general information, not financial advice, and eligibility for any government scheme depends on your own circumstances. Check gov.uk or Childcare Choices for the current rules and rates. This site is not affiliated with HMRC or any government body.

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