UK Fin Lab

Professional-grade UK financial tools

NHS Take Home Pay Calculator
Calculated at ukfinlab.co.uk
UK Fin Lab
Professional-grade UK financial tools

BENEFITS

Childcare Support Comparison UK

Compare Tax-Free Childcare, Universal Credit childcare support, and funded free-hours childcare to estimate your childcare costs in the UK for 2026/27.

Compare childcare support

Enter your childcare costs and a few household details to compare free hours, Tax-Free Childcare, and Universal Credit childcare support using the existing calculator logic.

This tool only models funded free-hours schemes for England. Tax-Free Childcare and Universal Credit support can still be compared elsewhere in the UK.

Example: 24 = 2 years old, 36 = 3 years old.

Used to value free childcare hours using your own effective hourly cost.

This keeps the form practical. Instead of trying to fully recreate GOV.UK eligibility, it uses the most important blockers and caps for a planning comparison.

Your childcare support comparison

See which support route leaves you with the lowest estimated childcare cost for the selected period.

Best out-of-pocket childcare cost per month £150.00 Best estimated route: Working parent free childcare + Tax-Free Childcare
Baseline childcare cost £900.00
Best saving £750.00
Effective childcare hours used 120.0

Comparison table

The selected period updates the support values and out-of-pocket cost below.

Option Status Free-hours saving Extra support Total support Out-of-pocket
Working parent free childcare + Tax-Free Childcare Free hours reduce the bill first, then Tax-Free Childcare is applied to the remaining cost. Eligible £712.50 £37.50 £750.00 £150.00
Working parent free childcare Uses funded childcare hours only. Eligible £712.50 £0.00 £712.50 £187.50
Tax-Free Childcare 20% government top-up, capped by the annual Tax-Free Childcare limit. Eligible £0.00 £166.67 £166.67 £733.33
No support Baseline cost with no childcare scheme applied. Eligible £0.00 £0.00 £0.00 £900.00
Working parent free childcare + Universal Credit childcare Free hours apply, but Universal Credit childcare is not available unless you are claiming Universal Credit. Not eligible £712.50 £0.00 £712.50 £187.50
Universal Credit childcare Not eligible unless you are claiming Universal Credit. Not eligible £0.00 £0.00 £0.00 £900.00

Free-hours estimate

Free-hours route Working parent free childcare
Funded hours 95.0
Estimated saving £712.50
Reason Working-parent funded childcare has been applied using the hours stored in your settings.

Support caps used

Effective hourly childcare cost £7.50
Tax-Free Childcare cap £166.67
Universal Credit cap £1,071.09
Income cap per adult £100,000.00
Free childcare weeks per year 38.0

Important notes

  • This tool is designed as a practical comparison estimate. It is not a formal benefits decision engine.
  • Free childcare hours in this tool are modelled for England only. Tax-Free Childcare and Universal Credit childcare support can apply more widely across the UK, subject to their own rules.
  • Universal Credit and Tax-Free Childcare cannot be claimed at the same time, but either can be combined with free childcare hours for extra paid hours if you are eligible.
  • The free-hours saving is valued using your own entered hourly childcare cost, based on monthly bill divided by monthly paid hours.
  • This version is best for comparing one childcare place or one main childcare bill. Complex multi-child households may need the official GOV.UK childcare calculator for a final answer.

NEXT STEPS

What to check after comparing childcare support

Once you’ve compared Tax-Free Childcare, Universal Credit and free-hours support, these related UK finance calculators can help you estimate real childcare costs, check benefit entitlement and plan around your income.

Based on your calculation

Detailed costs

Childcare Cost Calculator

Estimate weekly, monthly and annual childcare costs including hours, rates, extras and one-off fees.

 Benefit check

Universal Credit Estimator

Estimate potential Universal Credit entitlement based on income, rent, children and childcare costs.

 Child Benefit

Child Benefit Calculator

Estimate Child Benefit and see whether the High Income Child Benefit Charge may reduce what you keep.

 Income planning

Take Home Pay Calculator

Calculate monthly and annual net income after tax, NI, pensions and student loan deductions.

 Work decisions

Compare Salaries Calculator

Compare two salaries after deductions to see how job changes affect your household budget.

 Parental leave

Maternity / Paternity Pay Calculator

Estimate income during parental leave and plan around childcare costs and reduced earnings.

 Income changes

Pay Rise Calculator

See how much of a pay rise you may actually keep after tax, NI and other deductions.

 Long-term planning

Pension Calculator

Estimate how pension contributions could grow while balancing current childcare costs.

Childcare Support Comparison UK (2026/27)

This Childcare Support Comparison UK calculator helps you compare the main routes that can reduce childcare costs, including Tax-Free Childcare, Universal Credit childcare support, and funded free childcare hours in England.

It is designed for parents and carers who want a practical estimate of which option could leave them with the lowest out-of-pocket childcare bill each month.

What this calculator includes

  • A no-support baseline for comparison
  • Tax-Free Childcare on its own
  • Universal Credit childcare support on its own
  • Free childcare hours on their own
  • Free childcare hours plus Tax-Free Childcare
  • Free childcare hours plus Universal Credit childcare support
  • Estimated monthly childcare cost after support

How the childcare support comparison works

You enter your childcare bill and the number of childcare hours you pay for each month. The calculator uses this to estimate an effective hourly childcare cost, which is then used to estimate the value of any free childcare hours included in your result.

For Tax-Free Childcare and Universal Credit childcare support, the tool applies the relevant contribution rules and caps to the remaining paid childcare cost after free hours are taken into account. This lets you compare the main support routes side by side.

Why results may not match your real childcare bill exactly

This tool provides an estimate, but real-world childcare costs can vary depending on your provider, term-time only usage, stretched hours arrangements, region, number of children, eligibility rules, and whether extras such as meals or trips are charged separately.

Support rules can also depend on factors such as the child’s age, disability status, adjusted net income, working pattern, immigration status, and whether your childcare provider is approved.

Who this calculator is for

  • Parents deciding between Tax-Free Childcare and Universal Credit childcare support
  • Families trying to estimate the impact of funded free hours
  • Households reviewing monthly childcare affordability
  • Parents planning ahead for nursery, preschool, or wraparound care costs

Childcare cost examples

  • A household with no support can compare their full monthly childcare bill against all available routes
  • A family using free hours can see how much those hours may reduce the bill before other support is applied
  • A working household can compare whether Tax-Free Childcare or Universal Credit childcare support could leave them better off

Important note

This calculator provides general estimates only and does not constitute financial, tax, legal, welfare, or benefits advice. For official eligibility and claim decisions, check GOV.UK guidance or get professional advice where needed.

👉 Use the calculator above to compare childcare support options and estimate which route may leave you with the lowest monthly childcare cost.

Childcare Support Comparison – FAQs

No. This tool compares both options, but they are not combined because you cannot usually claim Universal Credit childcare support and Tax-Free Childcare for the same childcare costs at the same time.

Yes. Free childcare hours can reduce the childcare bill first, and this calculator then estimates Tax-Free Childcare or Universal Credit childcare support on the remaining paid cost.

It compares Tax-Free Childcare and Universal Credit childcare support across the UK, but the funded free-hours part of the calculator is modelled for England only.

It depends on your childcare bill, circumstances, and eligibility. This tool is designed to help you compare the estimated out-of-pocket cost under each option.

Yes, the calculator includes funded free-hours childcare for England as part of the comparison where relevant.

Treat it as a planning estimate. More complex households with multiple children, different providers, or different childcare patterns may need a more detailed official calculation.

Some providers charge separately for extras such as food, trips, consumables, or additional hours beyond funded sessions. Those costs may not be fully reflected in a simple comparison.

No. This is a practical comparison tool for planning. For official eligibility or claims, you should use GOV.UK guidance and the relevant government services.