TFC05100 | Entitlement: entitlement to top-up payments

Introduction

TFC allows HMRC to make payments into a childcare account so that the account holder may use the money in the childcare account to pay for qualifying childcare. The payments made by HMRC into a childcare account are known as top-up payments.

Childcare Payments Act 2014, section 1(2)

A person is entitled to receive a top-up payment from HMRC if:

Childcare Payments Act 2014, section 1(2)(a)

They meet the conditions of eligibility (i.e., they are an eligible person), and;

Childcare Payments Act 2014, section 1(2)(b)

They have made a declaration of eligibility that HMRC has accepted as valid, and;

Childcare Payments Act 2014, section 1(2)(c)

They have a child who qualifies for support, and;

Childcare Payments Act 2014, section 1(2)(d)

They hold a childcare account in respect of the child, and;

Childcare Payments Act 2014, section 1(2)(e)

A qualifying payment has been made into the childcare account during the entitlement period.

Childcare Payments Act 2014, section 1(3)

If all the above conditions are met, HMRC must pay a top-up payment into the childcare account.

Childcare Payments Act 2014, section 1(4)

The top-up payment is equal to 25% of the amount of money paid into the childcare account.

Childcare Payments Act 2014 section 19(4) (as signposted in section 1(4))

The maximum top up available for an entitlement period is:

• £4000 in the case of a disabled child (maximum of £1000 every 3 months), or

• £2000 in the case of any other child (maximum of £500 every 3 months)

Tax treatment of top-up payments

Childcare Payments Act 2014, section 66

A top-up payment is not to be regarded as income of the account holder for the purposes of the Income Tax Acts.