Archive Website of the UK government

Short periods of childcare - how your extra tax credits are worked out

You can claim help with your childcare costs just for the short time you need the childcare for. This means your extra tax credits are worked out and paid over the period you use the care.

For this to happen, all of the following need to apply:

• you only use childcare once in a while - for example only during the summer holidays or in an emergency
• your childcare is for a fixed period - in other words you know when it will start and end
• you use registered or approved childcare

Otherwise the help for your childcare will be worked out and paid over 52 weeks.

How to claim - if you're new to tax credits

To claim you need to:

• get a claim form from the Tax Credit Helpline
• once you've got your claim form, fill it in - but leave out the details of your childcare
• send the claim form back to the Tax Credit Office

Then do one of the following:

• if you're paying for the childcare now - allow time for your form to be received, then call the Tax Credit Helpline to claim for the short period of childcare
• if you're not paying for childcare yet - call the Tax Credit Helpline no earlier than seven days before your childcare starts

Have the following information to hand before you ring:

• the start and end date of the childcare
• the actual childcare costs you are paying in the short period
• your childcare provider's details - their name, address, phone number, childcare registration or approval number (your childcare provider will be able to give you this information)

• Contact details for the Tax Credit Helpline

How to claim - if you're already getting tax credits

You need to contact the Tax Credit Helpline as soon as your childcare starts or up to seven days beforehand.

Have the following information to hand when you ring:

• the start and end date of the childcare
• the actual childcare costs you are paying in the short period
• your childcare provider's details - their name, address, phone number, childcare registration or approval number (your childcare provider will be able to give you this information)

• Contact details for the Tax Credit Helpline

More useful links

• Childcare costs - how to work them out for your tax credits claim

• Childcare changes - effect on Working Tax Credit

• More about childcare (parents section)

Useful contacts

• Tax Credit Helpline - contact details