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The government has launched a new website, Childcare Choices, to help parents check what childcare support is be available to them as it prepares to roll out the 30-hour funded childcare offer and tax-free childcare later this year.

 

The website includes a Childcare Calculator which parents can use to compare all the government鈥檚 childcare offers. Those using the site can also sign up for alerts about the tax-free childcare scheme, due to start on 28 April, and the 30-hours offer.

 

Parents will be able apply for both tax-free childcare and the 30-hours offer at the same time through a new digital childcare service that the government is preparing to launch.

 

Under the tax-free childcare scheme, eligible parents will be given government top-ups on money paid into their tax-free childcare account, with an extra 拢2 paid on top of every 拢8 paid in, up to a maximum of 拢2,000 per child (of 拢4,000 for disabled children). This account can be used to send electronic payments to childcare providers. The scheme will first be offered to parents of children under two, with all eligible parents able to use the scheme by the end of the year. Once they have registered to receive payments in this way, childcare providers will appear on the Childcare Provider Checker online at:.

 

Under the 30-hours offer, eligible parents who have signed up online will be given a code which can be shared with their chosen provider, along with their National Insurance Number and child鈥檚 date of birth, so that they can be allocated a funded place.

 

Commenting on Childcare Choices, David Gauke, chief secretary to the Treasury, said: 鈥淭he new Childcare Choices website provides busy families with options that suit their needs, so they can clearly see which childcare offer works best for them.鈥�

 

The Alliance welcomed the support for working families, but raised concerns about how much the schemes will help those most in need. Neil Leitch, chief executive of the Alliance, said of tax-free childcare: 鈥淣ot only is it a regressive initiative 鈥� the more money you can afford to save, the more help you get from government 鈥� but it also fails to address the root cause of rising childcare costs: insufficient funding.鈥�