In this section:
These tables give you an idea of the tax credits you could get if you work and pay for registered or approved childcare. They show roughly what you could get in total for a year. You need to be working at least 16 hours a week to use these tables.
On this page:
The amounts shown are the total amount of tax credits you could get for the whole of the current tax year. This started on 6 April 2011 and will end on 5 April 2012. The annual income is your joint income if you're in a couple.
| Annual income (£) | £90 a week child care costs | Maximum child care (£175) |
|---|---|---|
| 0 | 10,250 | 13,345 |
| 5,100 | 10,250 | 13,345 |
| 9,500 | 9,775 | 12,870 |
| 10,000 | 9,570 | 12,665 |
| 15,000 | 7,520 | 10,615 |
| 20,000 | 5,470 | 8,565 |
| 25,000 | 3,420 | 6,515 |
| 30,000 | 1,370 | 4,465 |
| 35,000 | 545 | 2,415 |
| 40,000 | 545 | 545 |
| 45,000 | 0 | 0 |
The amounts shown are the total amount of tax credits you could get for the whole of the current tax year. This started on 6 April 2011 and will end on 5 April 2012. The annual income is your joint income if you're in a couple.
| Annual income (£) | £150 a week child care costs | Maximum child care (£300) |
|---|---|---|
| 0 | 14,990 | 20,450 |
| 5,100 | 14,990 | 20,450 |
| 9,500 | 14,520 | 19,980 |
| 10,000 | 14,315 | 19,775 |
| 15,000 | 12,265 | 17,725 |
| 20,000 | 10,215 | 15,675 |
| 25,000 | 8,165 | 13,625 |
| 30,000 | 6,115 | 11,575 |
| 35,000 | 4,065 | 9,525 |
| 40,000 | 2,015 | 7,475 |
| 45,000 | 0 | 5,425 |
| 50,000 | 0 | 3,375 |
| 55,000 | 0 | 1,325 |
| 60,000 | 0 | 0 |
The amounts shown are the total amount of tax credits you could get for the whole of the current tax year. This started on 6 April 2011 and will end on 5 April 2012. The annual income is your joint income if you're in a couple.
| Annual income (£) | £150 a week child care costs | Maximum child care (£300) |
|---|---|---|
| 0 | 17,550 | 23,010 |
| 5,100 | 17,550 | 23,010 |
| 9,500 | 17,080 | 22,540 |
| 10,000 | 16,875 | 22,335 |
| 15,000 | 14,825 | 20,285 |
| 20,000 | 12,775 | 18,235 |
| 25,000 | 10,725 | 16,185 |
| 30,000 | 8,675 | 14,135 |
| 35,000 | 6,625 | 12,085 |
| 40,000 | 4,575 | 10,035 |
| 45,000 | 2,525 | 7,985 |
| 50,000 | 475 | 5,935 |
| 55,000 | 0 | 3,885 |
| 60,000 | 0 | 1,835 |
| 65,000 | 0 | 0 |
You can use these tables if:
Help with childcare costs - do you qualify?
Don’t use these tables if you're a lone parent working between 16 and 29 hours a week and your total income is more than £5,100. You can check how much you might get by filling in an online calculator instead - it takes about 10 - 15 minutes to complete.
Tax credits calculator - find out how much you can get
If you're not sure whether you're using the right tables you can check by following the link below.
Tax credits entitlement tables: getting started
Find the table that applies to you - the headings will help you choose.
Find the annual income level in the first column that's nearest to your own total income for the last tax year (joint income for couples). This includes income from work, some state benefits (such as contributions-based Jobseeker's Allowance) and savings over £300. A tax year runs from 6 April to 5 April. If your income for this tax year is likely to be lower than last year's, use this year's income instead.
Find the heading from the other columns that applies to you. The childcare costs provided are examples, so use the costs that are nearest to your average weekly costs.
Where the row and column meet that is the typical amount of tax credits award for those circumstances.
You should use the information in the tables as a guide only. For a better idea of how much you might be entitled to, you can use a more detailed online tax credits calculator. It should take about 10-15 minutes to fill in.
How to work out your income for tax credits
Tax credits calculator - find out how much you can get
It's worth knowing about some things that apply to the income figures in the tables.
For the annual income figures of £0 and £5,100, the amount of tax credits shown only applies if both of the following apply:
For the annual income figures of £9,500 and above, the amounts of tax credits shown only apply if you’re either of the following:
If none of these working hours apply to you, you can check what you could get by using a more detailed online tax credits calculator.
Tax credits calculator - find out how much you can get
