Free UK Nursery Cost Calculator

Work out your actual monthly cost with 15 or 30 funded hours and Tax-Free Childcare. England 2026.

Funding rates: April 2026 (EYNFF). Updated annually each April.

Your child

Child's date of birth

School intake term

Child has Special Educational Needs or Disability (SEND)

Government support

Working parent(s), each earning at least minimum wage

Unlocks 15 or 30 free childcare hours depending on your child's age.

Neither parent earns over £100,000 per year

Required for Tax-Free Childcare, based on adjusted net income not gross salary

I use Tax-Free Childcare

The government adds £2 for every £8 you save, up to £500 per quarter

I receive Universal Credit

UC childcare support covers up to 85% of eligible childcare costs

My employer gives me childcare vouchers

Cannot be combined with Tax-Free Childcare.

Nursery

Provider type

Local authority

Nursery hourly rate

The private rate charged for hours above your funded entitlement

LA funding rate per hour

Set automatically from your local authority and your child's age; override if your nursery charges differently. For 3 and 4-year-olds this is the rate before the termly funding adjustment, the figure DfE expects councils to pass on; some sources quote the slightly higher with-adjustment figure.

Nursery open weeks per year

Sessions per week

Hours per session

6 hrs

Consumables charge per day

Meals, nappies, sun cream etc. on funded hours days

Enter your child's date of birth above to see your estimated costs.

Add a second child

Add a second child: 3 tokens (approx. £1.50)

Calculate combined household childcare costs for two children side by side. Tokens never expire.

What goes into the calculation

Three figures drive the result: your child's funded hours entitlement, your local authority's funded rate per hour, and the private top-up rate your nursery charges above that rate. Funded hours are set by government policy: 15 hours per week for eligible 2 year olds, and up to 30 hours per week for 3 and 4 year olds whose parents meet the working eligibility test.

Your local authority (LA) sets the rate paid to nurseries for each funded hour. This varies across England, from around £5 per hour in some northern areas to over £9 per hour in Inner London. Nurseries may charge a top-up rate for hours beyond the funded entitlement, and many add a charge for consumables such as meals and nappies. You can include both to get a more accurate monthly total.

The result is your estimated monthly net cost after government support is applied. It assumes attendance for the number of weeks you enter: typically 38 to 51 weeks per year depending on whether your nursery operates term-time or year-round. The annual total is divided by 12 to give a consistent monthly figure.

Tax-Free Childcare is a separate government scheme that tops up your childcare payments. For every £8 you pay in, the government adds £2, up to £500 per quarter (£2,000 per year). Tax-Free Childcare can be used alongside funded hours; it applies to the hours you pay for privately, not the funded portion. See our glossary entries on 30 hours entitlement and Tax-Free Childcare for further detail.

Results are estimates based on published government funding rates. Actual fees vary by nursery. This calculator does not constitute financial advice.