What it covers
The MVP focuses on the two most confusing routes for many families: Free Childcare for Working Parents and Tax-Free Childcare.
UK childcare support, made readable
See which childcare help route looks most realistic before you start the official application.
CareHours Check turns GOV.UK rules into a household-friendly pre-check for Free Childcare for Working Parents and Tax-Free Childcare, including common blockers like age bands, income caps, work patterns, and provider setup.
- Plain-language result in under a minute
- Shows likely fit, blocker-first notes, and what to prepare next
- Conservative wording: useful guidance, not an official decision
Important: this is an England-first explainer for the free-hours route and a UK-wide orientation tool for Tax-Free Childcare. Final eligibility always comes from the official childcare service.
What it does well
It turns age bands, earnings thresholds, provider status, and high-income blockers into a practical “likely / check / unlikely” result.
What it cannot do
It cannot grant childcare support, override GOV.UK, or fully model every exception across all UK nations.
GOV.UK — Free Childcare for Working Parents
Eligibility depends on the child’s age and circumstances, work status, expected earnings, immigration position, and whether either adult is over the £100,000 adjusted-net-income cap.
GOV.UK — Tax-Free Childcare
The scheme tops up childcare spending by £2 for every £8 paid in, usually for children 11 or under, or 16 or under if disabled.
GOV.UK — Help paying for childcare
Provider approval matters: the childcare provider must be approved, and the exact approved-provider rules vary slightly by scheme and UK nation.