A record number of families and children are now using Tax-Free Childcare, new figures show.
According to the latest data from HMRC, approximately 580k families were using Tax-Free Childcare for 709k children as of the 31st of March 2025. Polimapper’s visualisation shows that the South East saw the highest number of families and children utilising the scheme.
Tax-Free Childcare (TFC), launched in 2017, is a scheme which provides help with childcare costs for working parents living in the United Kingdom. For every £8 that a parent pays into their Tax-Free Childcare account, the government will add an extra £2, offering a maximum of £2,000 per child per year. For disabled children this caps at £4,000.
Despite the continued increase in people using TFC, the government spending on top-ups has decreased from £62.3 million at its peak in July 2024, to £55.3 million. This coincides with 15 hours funded childcare becoming available through the Department for Education for children aged between 9 months and 2 years.
In the financial year of 2024/2025, a total of 826k families used Tax-Free Childcare for over 1 million children.
Polimapper’s data team has visualised figures for the use of Tax-Free Childcare accounts by Westminster constituency in the financial year 2024/2025.
The constituencies of Didcot and Wantage, and Hamble Valley, registered the highest number of families and children using the scheme, at over 2,400 and 3,200 respectively.
Conversely, fewer than 300 families and 350 children used the scheme in the constituencies of Na h-Eileanan an Iar, Orkney and Shetland, Birmingham Ladywood and Kensington and Bayswater. Explore statistics in your area below.
About this map
The map below shows Tax-Free Childcare scheme figures in the United Kingdom by constituency. Data refers to the financial year 2024/2025.
To view statistics in your area double click on the map or click here to access the full page version.
Geodata context
Growing use of the Tax-Free Childcare scheme comes as the Minister for Women and Equalities shows signs of the Labour government ending the two-child benefit limit.
Bridget Philipson, Minister for Women and Equalities of the United Kingdom: “We are determined to bring down the numbers of children growing up in poverty. I know myself the impact it has. I’ve experienced it myself growing up. So it’s really personal to me.”