Universal Credit childcare calculator
Work out how much of your childcare bill Universal Credit can pay back each month.
1 of 2
What Universal Credit pays back each month
| Monthly childcare bill | 1 child | 2 or more children |
|---|---|---|
| £100 | £85 | £85 |
| £250 | £212.50 | £212.50 |
| £500 | £425 | £425 |
| £750 | £637.50 | £637.50 |
| £1,000 | £850 | £850 |
| £1,500 | £1,071.09 | £1,275 |
| £2,000 | £1,071.09 | £1,700 |
| £2,500 | £1,071.09 | £1,836.16 |
| £3,000 | £1,071.09 | £1,836.16 |
| Most it pays back | £1,071.09 | £1,836.16 |
Universal Credit pays back up to 85% of what you pay for childcare in each monthly assessment period, up to £1,071.09 for one child or £1,836.16 for 2 or more children. These limits apply from 6 April 2026. You reach the limit at a bill of about £1,260 a month for one child, or £2,160 for 2 or more.
You pay the childcare first, then report the cost to get it back. There is no minimum number of hours you must work, but if you live with a partner you both need to be in paid work, unless your partner cannot look after your children. You cannot get Tax-Free Childcare at the same time. The rules are on GOV.UK.
Nursery list and inspection outcomes from Ofsted's register of childcare providers, as at 30 June 2026.
Eligibility rules are the government’s (childcarechoices.gov.uk). Whether a nursery offers the funded hours, and what it charges for meals and consumables, is the nursery’s decision; ask for its funded-hours terms in writing.