You can claim for any childcare costs you incur with a registered provider throughout the full 52 weeks of your academic year, including holiday periods.
Your child must be under 15 years of age before the start of the academic year or under 17 if they have special educational needs.
You can apply for backdated Childcare Allowance (CCA) payments, but we must receive your application before the end of the academic year you're claiming for.
You cannot claim backdated costs from a previous academic year.
If any of the backdated costs you're claiming for are from a period covered by an older childcare reconciliation form, you must also send this completed form when you apply. The academic year dates you can claim between are:
- 1 September to 31 August, if your academic year begins in September or October
- 1 January to 31 December, if your academic year begins in January or February
- 1 March to 28 February if your academic year begins in March
You cannot claim costs incurred outside of your course dates or during any interruptions to your course.
You can claim childcare costs if the main purpose for your child attending is for extracurricular support.
You cannot claim any private school fees or any costs already covered by the free early years education provisions.
Childcare Provider
Your childcare provider must be OFSTED registered, or the equivalent in Northern Ireland, Scotland, or Wales. They must not have parental responsibility for your child.
Costs can be claimed if the provider is a relative without parental responsibility for the child if:
- they're registered
- the childcare is not provided in the child's home
- the care is not solely for the related child or children
Refused Adult Dependents Allowance (ADA) or Parent’s Learning Allowance (PLA)
If you've already applied but been refused ADA or PLA due to the level of income declared on your application form, you can still apply for CCA. The outcome of the application depends on your eligibility and the level of income used in the assessment.
When we’re calculating your entitlement to the income assessed additional allowances, they are assessed in a set order of:
This means even if you're awarded nothing for one element due to income, you may still receive another.
Partner is also a student
You can claim CCA, but only if your spouse, partner, or civil partner is not receiving any childcare payments from their funding authority.
You must send evidence showing they are not claiming this, such as their funding award letter.
Foster Children
You cannot claim CCA for a child you are fostering.