Registered childcare budget planner

Childminder Cost Calculator

Estimate weekly, monthly and annual childminder costs after sessions, hourly rate, meals, holiday cover, registration fees, sibling discount and childcare support.

Enter The Childcare Pattern

Regular sessions Children Do not enter names. Use only the number of children in this cost pattern. children Days per week Regular days with the childminder. days Hours per day Paid hours, including contracted wraparound time. hours Hourly rate Use your local quote. Rates vary by area, age and contract. £/hr

Year pattern Term or contracted weeks Use 38 for term-time only, 48 to 52 for year-round care. weeks Holiday club or extra days Extra full days outside the normal weekly pattern. days Holiday day rate Use the quoted full-day holiday rate. £

Extras and support Meals, nappies or outings per day Daily extras per child, if not included in the hourly rate. £ Registration, deposit or admin fees Annualised one-off fees for the year being planned. £/yr Sibling discount Discount applied to the regular session cost after multiplying by children. % Tax-Free Childcare top-up used Use 20 if eligible and paying through a childcare account. Caps still apply. % Annual Tax-Free Childcare cap per child Default reflects GBP 500 per quarter, or GBP 2,000 per child per year. £ UC or employer support after TFC Use 0 if not relevant. Do not claim incompatible schemes together. £/yr

Estimated Parent Cost

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Enter the childcare pattern to see the result.

Annual cost split

Check the childminder contract and scheme rules before relying on the estimate. Childcare support can depend on eligibility, age and provider approval.

What A Childminder Quote Should Show

A childminder cost is rarely just an hourly rate. Parents may also pay for meals, nappies, outings, late collection, holiday retainers, bank holidays, deposits, registration fees and paid holidays. Some childminders quote a day rate; others charge by the hour. Some include food, while others list it separately. This calculator keeps those parts visible so a parent can compare quotes and see the effect of Tax-Free Childcare or other help.

Use the result as a budget estimate, not a childcare entitlement decision. The provider must be approved or registered where a government childcare scheme requires it. Tax-Free Childcare, Universal Credit childcare costs, funded childcare hours and employer support can have different eligibility rules and can interact. Do not use a calculator to decide scheme eligibility; use GOV.UK, Childcare Choices, the local authority Family Information Service or an adviser where money is tight.

How To Enter Sessions

For a regular day, enter the paid hours, not only the hours at work. Many parents need drop-off time, travel time and collection time. If a childminder charges a minimum session, use the charged hours. If there is a day rate, divide it by the usual paid hours to create an hourly rate, or multiply days and use that as an equivalent. For term-time contracts, use 38 school weeks unless the contract says otherwise. For year-round care, use the actual paid weeks after the childminder’s holiday terms.

If children have different hours or different rates, run the calculator once for each child and add the annual parent costs together. This is clearer than forcing a blended rate into one line.

Formula And Method

Regular yearly cost = children x days per week x hours per day x hourly rate x weeks Extras = children x days per week x weeks x daily extras + holiday days x holiday day rate + setup fees Tax-Free Childcare top-up = eligible cost x top-up percentage, capped per child Parent cost = gross yearly cost - Tax-Free Childcare top-up - other support entered

The Tax-Free Childcare line uses an annual cap per child so the result does not assume unlimited top-up. The default cap is GBP 2,000 per child per year, reflecting the GOV.UK explanation that the government can add up to GBP 500 every 3 months for each child, or more for disabled children. If you are modelling disabled-child support, edit the cap field.

Worked Examples

One child, three days

Three 8-hour days at GBP 6.50 for 48 weeks gives a regular session cost of GBP 7,488 before extras. Meals, holiday cover and registration can push the annual gross cost higher, but Tax-Free Childcare may reduce the parent-paid amount if the family is eligible.

Two children full week

Two children can double the regular line unless a sibling discount applies. Enter the discount as a percentage of the regular session cost, then check whether government support is capped per child.

Term-time wraparound

A before-and-after-school place may have fewer hours but can still include retainers, meals, late fees and holiday club days. Use term weeks for regular sessions and add holiday days separately.

Quote Comparison Checklist

Contract line	Question to ask	Why it changes the total
Hourly or day rate	Is there a minimum session charge?	Short days may still be charged as a longer block.
Meals and nappies	Are they included or paid daily?	Small daily extras become large annual amounts.
Holidays and bank holidays	Are parent holidays, childminder holidays or bank holidays paid?	Paid weeks may be higher than attended weeks.
Late collection	What fee applies and when does it start?	Late fees can matter for parents with variable work finish times.
Approved provider status	Can the place be paid through Tax-Free Childcare or another support route?	Support may require a registered or approved provider.

Tax-Free Childcare, Universal Credit And Funded Hours

Tax-Free Childcare is paid through a childcare account, with the government adding top-up money to eligible payments, subject to caps. Universal Credit childcare costs work differently and can cover a percentage of eligible costs up to monthly limits. Families usually cannot use Tax-Free Childcare and Universal Credit childcare costs for the same childcare at the same time. Funded hours are also separate and may not cover meals, consumables or all hours needed for work.

When To Check The Local Authority

Use your local authority Family Information Service if you need registered childminders, wraparound childcare, funded-hours routes, SEND support or holiday provision. Prices and availability vary heavily by area. A calculator can help compare offers, but it cannot confirm a place, registration status, inspection outcome or scheme eligibility.

FAQs

How much does a childminder cost per month?

It depends on hours, days, rate, paid weeks, extras and support. The calculator divides annual parent cost by 12 to show a monthly budget figure.

Can I use Tax-Free Childcare with a childminder?

Yes, if the childminder and family meet the scheme rules. Check the provider is approved for payments through the childcare account.

Should meals be included?

Include meals, nappies and outings if they are charged separately. If they are built into the hourly or day rate, leave the daily extras field at zero.

Can I use Universal Credit childcare costs and Tax-Free Childcare together?

Usually no for the same childcare. Use official guidance or an adviser before choosing a support route.

Does this page store child information?

No. The page only uses numbers entered into the calculator in the browser. Do not enter names or private details.

Sources

HM Government. (2026). Tax-Free Childcare. GOV.UK. https://www.gov.uk/tax-free-childcare
HM Government. (2026). Help paying for childcare. GOV.UK. https://www.gov.uk/help-with-childcare-costs
HM Government. (2026). Universal Credit childcare costs. GOV.UK. https://www.gov.uk/help-with-childcare-costs/universal-credit
HM Government. (2026). Childcare Choices. https://www.childcarechoices.gov.uk/