Sign in to your childcare account

Use this account to get free childcare if you’re working or pay for your Tax-Free Childcare.

To keep getting free childcare if you’re working or Tax-Free Childcare, you must sign in every 3 months and confirm your details are up to date.

If you want to get free childcare if you’re working or Tax-Free Childcare and you’re from an EU country, Switzerland, Norway, Iceland or Liechtenstein, you need settled or pre-settled status or permission to access public funds.

If you’re eligible for free childcare if you’re working, sign in to get a code to give to your childcare provider.

If you’ve registered for Tax-Free Childcare, sign in to:

  • pay money into your account
  • pay your childcare provider
  • apply for a new child

You’ll need the Government Gateway user ID and password you used when you applied for Tax-Free Childcare.

This service is also available in Welsh (Cymraeg).

Sign in

Before you start

You sign in to your account in a different way if you’re a childcare provider.

If you’ve been unable to use the service

You may be able to claim compensation if you’ve had technical problems with your account.

Part of Get childcare: step by step

  1. Step 1 Find out if you can get help with childcare costs

    1. Check what help you could get with childcare costs

    You can only get help with 'approved childcare'.

    1. Find out what 'approved childcare' is

  2. and Find where you can get childcare

    1. Find a nursery school place
    2. Find a registered childminder
    3. Search for free early education and childcare

  3. Step 2 Get help paying for childcare

    You can get help with childcare costs for children under 18. You might be able to apply for:

    You could also get free hours childcare when your child is aged 2 to 4. You might be able to apply for:

    You can only get childcare vouchers if you have already joined a scheme.

    1. Check the rules for childcare vouchers

  4. Step 3 Check what to do if your circumstances change

    Tell government straight away if your circumstances change and you're getting:

    If you're getting free childcare if you're working or Tax-Free Childcare you have to confirm if your details are up to date every 3 months.

    1. You are currently viewing: Sign into your childcare account to find out when you next have to check your details

    Your eligibility for support with childcare costs might also change.

    1. Check if your eligibility for help with childcare costs has changed

  5. Step 4 Check what to do when your child reaches school age

    1. Apply for a primary school place
    2. Find before and after school and holiday clubs

    You might be able to use help like tax credits or Tax-Free Childcare to pay for childcare like wraparound care, after school clubs or other activities.

Also part of