Childcare provided by relatives

childcare provided by relatives

Childcare provided by a relative of the child, in the child's own home does not class as qualifying childcare. This includes relatives by blood, half blood, marriage or civil partnership who are registered or approved childcare providers.


For these purposes a relative means a:

  • parent
  • step parent
  • foster parent
  • grandparent
  • aunt or uncle
  • brother or sister

Childcare provided by relatives can be qualifying childcare if all the following circumstances apply:

  • the relative is a registered or approved childcare provider
  • the care is provided away from the child's own home
  • the care is provided to non­related children in addition to the related child or children

You can only get Tax-Free Childcare to help pay for childcare provided by a relative (for example, a grandparent) if they’re a registered childminder and care for your child outside your home.

You cannot claim for 30 hours free childcare for childcare provided by a relative (for example, a grandparent).

You cannot get help for childcare provided by your partner. This is not accepted as ‘approved childcare’.


Specified Adult Childcare

You may be entitled to receive NI credits if you are a grandparent, or other family member, who cares for a child under 12, usually whilst their parent (or main carer) is working.

You must make an application to receive the NI credits.

Specified Adult Childcare credits work by transferring the NI credit attached to Child Benefit from the Child Benefit recipient to a family member who is providing care for a related child under 12.

 

Application for Specified Adult Childcare credits

National Insurance Credits - the facts

Foster Carers and Kinship Carers

You can get support and financial help if someone else’s child is living with you full time.

Your arrangement may be known as either:

  • family and friends care (often called kinship care)
  • private fostering

Kinship Care


You can apply for Child BenefitChild Tax Credit and other benefits that parents get.

If you want to care for a child long term, you can get parental responsibility for the child by applying for a child arrangements order or special guardianship order.

You may also be able to adopt the child.

Page last reviewed: 03/02/2023

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