Whether you're a new parent, have a toddler, are out of work, or are just struggling to pay for childcare, there is a lot of financial support available to you, depending on your situation.
The government is introducing new ways to help parents with childcare costs.
Whether you have toddlers or teens, you could get support.
Check out your options with Childcare Choices
Childcare Choices (Polskie) Childcare Choices (PDF 328KB)
(Courtesy of Somerset County Council)
Useful Information
- Funding for early learning places
Funded early education sessions are available for children under 5 in Southampton. They are available from the term after your child turns three, although some funding is available for places for two-year-olds who meet the eligibility criteria.
- Tax-Free Childcare
Tax-Free Childcare has been rolled out to nearly two million households to help with the cost of childcare, enabling more parents to go out to work, if they want to, to provide greater security for their families. The scheme is open to all eligible families with children under 12 on…
- Paying for childcare - Help for working parents
Parents can apply online and follow a simple guide to see if they are eligible for Tax Credits. The independent Money Saving Expert website run by Martin Lewis, the finance expert, also has some really useful information on it. Shelter, the housing and homelessness charity…
- Paying for childcare - Help from your employer
If you are working, ask your employer about childcare help they could offer. There are some good reasons why more and more employers are looking at their employees' childcare needs and trying to find ways to help. Employers rely upon parents as part of their work…
- Paying for childcare - Help for lone parents
Work preparation support Work preparation support is provided by Job Centre Plus for getting people back into work. A lone parent, whose youngest child is under 16, and is either not working or is working under 16 hours a week, can get help under this scheme. There…
- Paying for childcare - help for students
Multiple types of financial support is available to students to help fund general learning and childcare costs. Southampton Children and Young People's Information Service will be happy to give you information about finding and choosing high quality childcare that will suit your child, or try our…
- Childcare Vouchers vs Tax-Free Childcare
What is Tax-Free Childcare? Tax-Free Childcare is a new government initiative which being slowly rolled out from early 2017, and will replace the existing Childcare Voucher Scheme in April 2018. For eligible families, Tax-Free Childcare offers to cover 20% of childcare costs (up to £2,000 per child, per year), for…
- Tax Credits
Tax credits can help families with children or those who need help paying for childcare. Nine out of ten families with children are eligible for tax credits. Helplines The Tax Credit helpline can help parents to complete their claim form or check the progress of…
- Child Benefit
Child Benefit is a regular payment made to anyone bringing up children. It is paid for each child that qualifies and isn't affected by income or savings. Who is eligible? You'll be able to get Child Benefit if you're bringing up a child who is…
- Care to Learn - Childcare funding for teenage parents
Care to Learn (C2L) provides financial support for teenage parents who want to continue in, or return to learning. It helps with the cost of their childcare and travel. What learning can a young parent do and what childcare will be funded? Care to Learn…
- Junior Individual Savings Accounts (ISAs)
What is a Junior ISA? A Junior ISA is a tax-efficient investment wrapper that allows parents, grandparents, friends and guardians to invest on a child's behalf. The income and profits earned on the investment will be tax-free. As with standard adult ISAs, there are also cash…
- Child Trust Fund
Child Trust Funds are closed to new accounts. You may be able to open a Junior ISA instead. What happens to my child's existing Child Trust Fund account? If it has already been opened, it will continue as usual - and the child will not…