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Benefits
Compare Scotland's universal 1,140 funded childcare hours with England's working-parent offer, and see what Tax-Free Childcare or the UC childcare element is worth on your actual monthly spend.
By Gary · Updated May 2026
Funded hours entitlement
1,140 hrs/yr
Roughly 30 hours/week in term time. Universal — every 3 and 4 year old in Scotland qualifies, with no work or income test
Cash help towards the rest
Scotland's funded hours are universal for 3-4 year olds — a household over £100,000 keeps them, unlike England's working-parent hours.
Both nations fund up to 1,140 childcare hours a year — but who qualifies differs sharply. Scotland's offer is universal for every 3 and 4 year old: no work test, no income cap. England's equivalent (30 hours/week over 38 weeks) is a working-parent entitlement from 9 months old, and it vanishes if either parent's adjusted net income passes £100,000.
| Scotland | England | |
|---|---|---|
| Annual funded hours (maximum) | 1,140 | 1,140 |
| From what age | 3 (eligible 2-year-olds earlier) | 9 months (working parents) |
| Work requirement | None | Both parents ≥ £2,643.68/quarter |
| £100,000 income cap | No | Yes — hard cliff edge |
| Universal fallback for 3-4s | The full 1,140 IS universal | 15 hours/week (570 hours/year) |
Funded hours rarely cover a full-time nursery place. Two UK-wide schemes help with the rest, and you can only hold one at a time:
Tax-Free Childcare — for every £8 you pay into the account the government adds £2, capped at £2,000 per child per year (£4,000 for a disabled child). Same work and income tests as England's 30 hours.
Universal Credit childcare element — 85% of costs refunded, capped at £1,071.09/month for one child or £1,836.16/month for two or more. If you get UC, this almost always beats Tax-Free Childcare — and opening a TFC account switches the UC element off.
Adjusted net income of £100,000.01 costs an English family the 30 hours AND Tax-Free Childcare in one go — commonly worth more than the pay rise that triggered it. Pension contributions reduce adjusted net income, so a contribution that brings you back under £100,000 restores childcare support and Personal Allowance taper relief at the same time. Scottish families keep the funded hours regardless, but the TFC half of the cliff applies UK-wide.
Check your entitlement. Set your child's age and circumstances above to see the hours and the cash help side by side.
Back to calculator ↑Answers to common questions about this calculator.
Check which Scottish benefits you're eligible for — SCP, Best Start Grant, Carer Support, ADP, Winter Heating, and more.
👶See exactly how much Child Benefit you lose to HICBC at Scottish tax rates, and the pension sacrifice needed to restore the full benefit.
🤱Work out your Statutory Maternity Pay week by week — 6 weeks at 90% of earnings, then 33 weeks at the statutory rate — or Maternity Allowance if you're self-employed.
This calculator provides estimates only and does not constitute financial or tax advice. Always verify with Revenue Scotland, HMRC, or mygov.scot, and speak to a qualified financial adviser for advice specific to your circumstances.