--- title: "Tax-Free Childcare Login: Sign In, Fix Errors & Top Up | Nursery Advice" description: "Sign in to your Tax-Free Childcare account, fix login problems, top up, reconfirm every 3 months and see your 20% saving — UK 2026 guide." lang: en-GB json-ld: | [ { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@type": "WebSite", "name": "Nursery Advice", "url": "https://www.nurseryadvice.co.uk", "description": "Search and compare UK nurseries. Ofsted ratings, fees, opening hours, parent reviews and inspection history — all in one place.", "inLanguage": "en-GB", "potentialAction": { "@type": "SearchAction", "target": { "@type": "EntryPoint", "urlTemplate": "https://www.nurseryadvice.co.uk/search?q={search_term_string}" }, "query-input": "required name=search_term_string" } }, { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@type": "Organization", "name": "Nursery Advice", "url": "https://www.nurseryadvice.co.uk", "description": "Search and compare UK nurseries. 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Any other URL claiming to be the TFC login is unofficial — don’t enter your Gateway details." } }, { "@type": "Question", "name": "Why does my Tax-Free Childcare login keep failing?", "acceptedAnswer": { "@type": "Answer", "text": "The most common cause is a mismatch between your Government Gateway profile and your HMRC personal tax record (often an old address or surname). Sign in to your personal tax account at gov.uk/personal-tax-account first, update the details, then retry TFC." } }, { "@type": "Question", "name": "How do I top up my Tax-Free Childcare account?", "acceptedAnswer": { "@type": "Answer", "text": "Sign in, choose Pay money in , and use the unique sort code and account number shown for that child. Send the amount from your bank app. The 20% top-up usually lands within seconds." } }, { "@type": "Question", "name": "How often do I have to reconfirm Tax-Free Childcare?", "acceptedAnswer": { "@type": "Answer", "text": "Every 3 months. HMRC emails you and shows a banner on the dashboard 2 weeks before the deadline. If nothing has changed, reconfirming is a single click." } }, { "@type": "Question", "name": "What happens if I miss the reconfirmation deadline?", "acceptedAnswer": { "@type": "Answer", "text": "Your existing balance still works to pay your nursery, but new deposits won’t get the 20% top-up until you reconfirm. Sign in and reconfirm immediately — top-ups resume on the next deposit." } }, { "@type": "Question", "name": "Can I use Tax-Free Childcare and 30 hours free childcare at the same time?", "acceptedAnswer": { "@type": "Answer", "text": "Yes — in fact, the same gov.uk login handles both. You can use the 30 funded hours and pay any additional hours through your TFC account." } }, { "@type": "Question", "name": "What’s the Tax-Free Childcare helpline number?", "acceptedAnswer": { "@type": "Answer", "text": "0300 123 4097, open Monday to Friday 08:00–18:00. From outside the UK, call +44 300 123 4097." } }, { "@type": "Question", "name": "Is the Tax-Free Childcare login the same in Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland?", "acceptedAnswer": { "@type": "Answer", "text": "Yes — TFC is a UK-wide HMRC scheme with a single login. The funded-hours schemes you can pair it with vary by nation." } } ] }, { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@type": "HowTo", "name": "How to sign in to your Tax-Free Childcare account", "step": [ { "@type": "HowToStep", "position": 1, "name": "Open the official login page", "text": "Go to gov.uk/sign-in-childcare-account and click Start now." }, { "@type": "HowToStep", "position": 2, "name": "Enter your Government Gateway details", "text": "Enter your 12-digit Gateway user ID and password." }, { "@type": "HowToStep", "position": 3, "name": "Enter the 6-digit access code", "text": "Enter the code sent by text or generated by the HMRC app. Codes expire after 90 seconds." }, { "@type": "HowToStep", "position": 4, "name": "Use your dashboard", "text": "From the dashboard you can top up, pay your nursery, check eligibility and reconfirm every 3 months." } ] } ] --- [![Nursery Advice](/__l5e/assets-v1/1c5557d3-f3fd-42f8-935a-3f2d2c3ac7e7/nursery-advice.webp "Nursery Advice")](/ "Nursery Advice") [Find Nurseries](/search)[Parent Hub](/parent-hub)[Compare](/compare)[About Us](/about-us)[For Nurseries](/for-nurseries) [Claim Your Nursery](/claim) In this article 1. 1. [Quick answer: sign in here](#quick-answer) 2. 2. [How to sign in to your Tax-Free Childcare account](#how-to-sign-in) 3. 3. [What you need before logging in](#what-you-need) 4. 4. [How Tax-Free Childcare actually works](#how-it-works) 5. 5. [See what you’ll actually pay after the 20% top-up](#calculator) 6. 6. [Topping up your account](#topping-up) 7. 7. [Reconfirming every 3 months](#reconfirm) 8. 8. [Tax-Free Childcare login not working? Try this](#login-not-working) 9. 9. [Tax-Free Childcare helpline](#helpline) 10. 10. [Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland](#devolved) 11. 11. [Related guides on Nursery Advice](#related-guides) [Home](/)[Parent Hub](/parent-hub)Funding & money Funding & money # Tax-Free Childcare login: how to sign in, fix errors and top up your account Everything you need to log in to your Tax-Free Childcare account on gov.uk — the exact sign-in URL, what to do when the page won’t load, how to top up, and how to reconfirm every three months so you don’t lose your 20% top-up. Reviewed by the Nursery Advice editorial team Last updated 2 July 2026 Next review 30 November 2026 [Editorial standards](/parent-hub/editorial-standards) Your Tax-Free Childcare (TFC) account is the gov.uk wallet you pay your nursery from. For every £80 you put in, the government adds £20 — up to £2,000 per child per year, or £4,000 if your child is disabled. To use it you need to sign in with Government Gateway, top up, and pay your provider from the account. This guide walks you through the login, the most common errors (and the exact fix for each), how to top up, and how to reconfirm your details every three months — the single biggest reason families lose their top-up. ## Quick answer: sign in here Tax-Free Childcare sign-in URL The official login page is [**gov.uk/sign-in-childcare-account**](https://www.gov.uk/sign-in-childcare-account). You’ll need your Government Gateway user ID, password and a 6-digit access code (sent by text or via the HMRC app). - Bookmark the link above — phishing copies of “tax-free childcare login” sites do exist. - The same login covers Tax-Free Childcare _and_ the 30 hours funded code for 9-month-olds to 4-year-olds. - If you and your partner both work, only one of you needs the account — but both must be confirmed eligible. ## How to sign in to your Tax-Free Childcare account 1. Go to **gov.uk/sign-in-childcare-account**. Click _Start now_. 2. Enter your Government Gateway user ID (12 digits) and password. 3. Enter the 6-digit access code sent to your phone, or generated by the HMRC app. 4. You’ll land on your childcare dashboard. From here you can top up, pay a provider, view your eligibility status and reconfirm. Lost your Government Gateway ID? Use the [recover your user ID](https://www.gov.uk/log-in-register-hmrc-online-services) link on the sign-in page. HMRC emails it within minutes to the address on file. ## What you need before logging in - A Government Gateway user ID and password — the same one used for your personal tax account. - Access to the phone number on your Gateway profile (for the 6-digit code). - Your National Insurance number, in case HMRC asks for a fresh identity check. - Your nursery’s 13-digit Tax-Free Childcare reference (only needed for new providers — saved ones show on the dashboard). If you don’t have one yet, you can [find a nursery near you](/nurseries) and ask the setting directly. ## How Tax-Free Childcare actually works TFC isn’t a discount applied at the till — it’s a top-up paid into a government-held account. You deposit money, HMRC adds 20%, and you pay your nursery from the combined balance. 1. You transfer money in from any UK bank account (no fee). 2. HMRC adds 20p for every 80p you deposit, usually within seconds. 3. You pay your nursery from the account. The nursery sees it as a standard bank transfer. 4. You reconfirm your eligibility every 3 months — a single click if nothing’s changed. Eligibility in one paragraph You and your partner (if you have one) must each earn at least the National Minimum Wage for 16 hours a week, and neither of you can have adjusted net income above £100,000. Your child must be 11 or under (16 if disabled). You can’t use TFC at the same time as Universal Credit childcare or childcare vouchers. ## See what you’ll actually pay after the 20% top-up Use our calculator to see your monthly nursery bill after Tax-Free Childcare and the funded hours you’re entitled to. It uses regional day-rate averages — or pop in your nursery’s actual rate for a precise figure. ### Tax-Free Childcare savings calculator [Open full tool](/parent-hub/childcare-cost-calculator) England (outside London) Estimated net cost £3,163/ year £264 / month · £61 / week - Net to you £3,163 - Funded hours £7,980 - Tax-Free Childcare £332 Show the workings Child's age <9m 9m–2y 2y 3y 4y 2 years Days per week 2 2.5 3 3.5 4 4.5 5 Hours per day 4h 6h 8h 9h 10h Include hidden charges (£12/day) Most nurseries charge a daily supplement for food, nappies, sun cream and trips on top of fees and funded hours. The England (outside London) average is around £12 per day your child attends. Toggle off if your nursery doesn't. Term-time only (38 weeks) Otherwise we use 51 weeks of nursery a year. Both parents working Each earning at least minimum wage and under £100k. Unlocks working-parent funded hours & Tax-Free Childcare. Receiving Universal Credit Unlocks the 85% UC childcare element instead of Tax-Free Childcare. ## Topping up your account 1. From the dashboard, choose _Pay money in_. 2. Use the unique sort code and account number shown (it’s different for every child). 3. Send the amount from your bank app as a normal transfer — the 20% top-up lands almost instantly. 4. Set up a standing order if your nursery bill is the same every month — it removes the “oh, I forgot” risk. The standing-order trick If your nursery bill is £900/month, set a standing order of £720 into TFC the day before your nursery direct debit. HMRC adds £180 within seconds and the bill clears from the account. You never think about it again. ## Reconfirming every 3 months Every quarter HMRC asks you to confirm your details haven’t changed. If you miss this, the 20% top-up pauses on new deposits — your existing balance still works, but nothing new is topped up. - You get an email and a dashboard banner two weeks before the deadline. - If nothing’s changed, reconfirming is one click — it takes under 30 seconds. - If your income or partner status _has_ changed, you’ll answer 3–4 questions about the next 3 months. - Miss it? Sign in and reconfirm immediately — top-ups resume on the next deposit. ## Tax-Free Childcare login not working? Try this Most login problems fall into one of the patterns below. Work through them in order — it’s faster than waiting for the helpline. Common Tax-Free Childcare login errors and how to fix them Symptom What it means Fix **“We could not match your details”** Government Gateway profile and HMRC records don’t match. Sign in to your personal tax account first and update your name, address or NI number. Re-try TFC after. **“Your access code didn’t work”** The 6-digit code expired (they last 90 seconds) or your phone has no signal. Click _resend code_, or switch to the HMRC app authenticator under _security preferences_. **Page won’t load / spinning** gov.uk service incident, or your browser is blocking cookies. Check [the service status](https://www.tax.service.gov.uk/childcare-eligibility-frontend/start). Try a private window. Disable VPNs/ad-blockers. **“You’re locked out”** Five wrong password attempts. Wait 2 hours, then use _forgotten password_. Have your NI number handy. **“Reconfirm by” banner won’t clear** Reconfirmation went through but cache is stale. Sign out, clear cookies for tax.service.gov.uk, sign back in. If still there after 24h, call the helpline. **Can’t see my child on the dashboard** Application is still being assessed. New applications can take up to 7 days. Check your email — HMRC writes if they need anything else. **“You are not eligible” after years of using it** Income changed, partner change, or reconfirmation lapsed past 30 days. Check the reason on the dashboard. If income, you’ll be eligible again next quarter (if it drops back). If lapsed, you may need a fresh application. **Top-up didn’t land** Wrong reference used, or one parent over £100k. Check the deposit went to the right child’s sort code/account. Money sent to the wrong account is auto-returned within 3 working days. **“This service is not available”** Planned maintenance — usually overnight. Try again after 06:00. If still down, call the helpline. **App authenticator code rejected** Phone clock drift. Set your phone’s date and time to _automatic_, then re-pair the authenticator. ## Tax-Free Childcare helpline - **Phone:** 0300 123 4097. - **Open:** Monday to Friday, 08:00–18:00 (closed bank holidays). - **Webchat:** available from your dashboard when you’re signed in. - **Outside the UK:** +44 300 123 4097. Before you call Have your National Insurance number, your child’s date of birth and your Government Gateway user ID ready. Waits are usually shortest before 09:00 or after 16:00. ## Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland Tax-Free Childcare is a UK-wide HMRC scheme — the login, helpline and 20% top-up are identical wherever you live. What differs is the _funded hours_ that sit alongside it. - **Scotland:** 1,140 hours/year of funded early learning from age 3 (some 2-year-olds qualify). See [mygov.scot](https://www.mygov.scot/childcare-costs-help). - **Wales:** Childcare Offer for Wales — 30 hours for working parents of 3–4-year-olds. See [gov.wales](https://www.gov.wales/childcare-3-and-4-year-olds-childcare-offer-wales). - **Northern Ireland:** no equivalent of the 30 funded hours. TFC works as normal, plus pre-school education places from age 3. ## Related guides on Nursery Advice For general childcare questions or to compare providers, start on [**Nursery Advice**](/). - [**Setting up your Tax-Free Childcare account**](/parent-hub/setting-up-a-childcare-account) — the step-by-step first-time application. - [**Tax-Free Childcare vs vouchers**](/parent-hub/tax-free-childcare-vs-vouchers) — which is better if your employer still offers vouchers. - [**30 hours free childcare**](/parent-hub/30-hours-free-childcare) — the funded-hours scheme that pairs with TFC. - [**15 hours funded childcare**](/parent-hub/15-hours-funded-childcare) — for 2-year-olds and the universal 3–4 entitlement. ## Frequently asked questions What is the official Tax-Free Childcare login URL? [gov.uk/sign-in-childcare-account](https://www.gov.uk/sign-in-childcare-account). Any other URL claiming to be the TFC login is unofficial — don’t enter your Gateway details. Why does my Tax-Free Childcare login keep failing? The most common cause is a mismatch between your Government Gateway profile and your HMRC personal tax record (often an old address or surname). Sign in to your personal tax account at gov.uk/personal-tax-account first, update the details, then retry TFC. How do I top up my Tax-Free Childcare account? Sign in, choose _Pay money in_, and use the unique sort code and account number shown for that child. Send the amount from your bank app. The 20% top-up usually lands within seconds. How often do I have to reconfirm Tax-Free Childcare? Every 3 months. HMRC emails you and shows a banner on the dashboard 2 weeks before the deadline. If nothing has changed, reconfirming is a single click. What happens if I miss the reconfirmation deadline? Your existing balance still works to pay your nursery, but new deposits won’t get the 20% top-up until you reconfirm. Sign in and reconfirm immediately — top-ups resume on the next deposit. Can I use Tax-Free Childcare and 30 hours free childcare at the same time? Yes — in fact, the same gov.uk login handles both. You can use the 30 funded hours and pay any additional hours through your TFC account. What’s the Tax-Free Childcare helpline number? 0300 123 4097, open Monday to Friday 08:00–18:00. From outside the UK, call +44 300 123 4097. Is the Tax-Free Childcare login the same in Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland? Yes — TFC is a UK-wide HMRC scheme with a single login. The funded-hours schemes you can pair it with vary by nation. ## Ready to find a brilliant nursery? Search every Ofsted-registered setting in the UK — by postcode, age group, funded hours and more. [Find a nursery near you →](/search) ## About this guide & sources Every numerical claim in this guide is sourced from UK government, NHS or recognised charity publications. We re-check each source on the article’s review date. 1. GOV.UK — [Sign in to your childcare account](https://www.gov.uk/sign-in-childcare-account) (retrieved 2026-05-23) 2. GOV.UK — [Tax-Free Childcare](https://www.gov.uk/tax-free-childcare) (retrieved 2026-05-23) 3. HMRC — [Get help with your Tax-Free Childcare account](https://www.gov.uk/government/organisations/hm-revenue-customs/contact/childcare-service-helpline) (retrieved 2026-05-23) 4. Childcare Choices — [Tax-Free Childcare overview](https://www.childcarechoices.gov.uk/help-with-childcare-costs/tax-free-childcare) (retrieved 2026-05-23) 5. mygov.scot — [Help paying for childcare](https://www.mygov.scot/childcare-costs-help) (retrieved 2026-05-23) 6. gov.wales — [Childcare Offer for Wales](https://www.gov.wales/childcare-3-and-4-year-olds-childcare-offer-wales) (retrieved 2026-05-23) ## Keep reading [ Funding & money ### Setting up your Tax-Free Childcare account: a step-by-step Opening a Tax-Free Childcare account takes 20 minutes if you have the paperwork ready. Here’s exactly what to do, what to gather first, and how to avoid the most common rejections. Read guide ](/parent-hub/setting-up-a-childcare-account)[ Funding & money ### Tax-Free Childcare vs childcare vouchers — which saves more? Childcare vouchers closed to new applicants in 2018 but thousands of parents still hold accounts. Should you switch to Tax-Free Childcare? Here’s the maths. Read guide ](/parent-hub/tax-free-childcare-vs-vouchers)[ Funding & money ### 30 hours of funded childcare — the 2026 working parents’ guide From September 2025, working parents in England can access up to 30 hours of government-funded childcare a week from when their child is nine months old. Here’s exactly who qualifies, what counts, and how to apply. Read guide ](/parent-hub/30-hours-free-childcare) [![Nursery Advice](/__l5e/assets-v1/1c5557d3-f3fd-42f8-935a-3f2d2c3ac7e7/nursery-advice.webp "Nursery Advice")](/) The independent UK nursery directory. Built with Ofsted data, kept current weekly. 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