Parents are being urged to sign up to the universal childcare subsidy, worth up to €22.50 a week or €1,170 a year per child, which is now available for all children up to age 15.

You can sign up HERE to avail of the expanded subsidy, which previously only applied to babies and toddlers.

It’s also possible to make a paper application by contacting the parent support centre on 01-906-8530.

The subsidy can also be used to reduce the cost of afterschool and out-of-term childcare fees for school-age children using a registered provider.

The childcare provider, including childminders and school-age childcare services, must be registered with Tusla and have a national childcare scheme (NCS) contract with the Department of Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth.

The subsidy is paid directly to childcare providers, who must then subtract its value from your childcare bill.

You can also use a subsidy calculator which can help you estimate how much you may be eligible for before you apply. 

Every family using a registered childcare service provider is entitled to this subsidy to reduce their childcare fees, regardless of the families’ income or earning.

The scheme is currently worth 50 cent for each hour the child is in childcare up to a maximum 45 hours a week. However, if one or both parents are not working, studying or training, the maximum number of subsidised hours is 20 hours a week.

Tuesday’s budget announcement brought further improvements to the scheme with a 25% reduction in the cost of childcare under the National Childcare Scheme.

The reduction in fees will be implemented through increased subsidies under the NCS, raising the childcare subsidy from the current 50 cent per hour to €1.40 per hour. And it will be a universal measure, meaning children up to the age of 15 are eligible for the improved NCS measures.

This is due to take effect from January 2023 and will be capped at €2,100 per year.

November this year will also see a double child benefit payment to all qualifying households.

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