National Childcare Subsidies will be available for all children under 15-years-old as soon as next week.
From 29 August 2022, the subsidy under the National Childcare Scheme (NCS) will be extended to children aged up to 15 years, regardless of the parents income. The scheme supports families as a way to make quality childcare accessible and affordable in Ireland.
Parents won't get the subsidy for a child aged 15 and above and the allowance be combined with the Universal Subsidy and an Income Assessed Subsidy. Parents can instead you pick the one which will benefit them the most.
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To qualify for the Universal Subsidy:
Your child must be above the age of 6 months but below the age when they can start the free ECCE scheme
Your childcare provider must be registered with Tusla and in a contract with the Department of Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth to offer the Universal Subsidy.
The universal childcare subsidy is paid at €0.50c an hour up to a maximum of 45 hours a week to all eligible children. You can use the subsidy calculator on the NCS website to help work out what your entitlement will be.
For example, if your child is attending childcare for 45 hours a week, the subsidy you could get is €22.50 per week (€0.50 x 45 hours) or if your child is attending childcare for 20 hours a week, you could get a subsidy of €10 per week (€0.50 x 20 hours).
How to apply
You can use a verified MyGovID account with the date of birth and PPS number for each child you are applying for on ncs.gov.ie. Or you can apply by post by contacting the Parent Support Centre. These applications will take longer to process and may affect the start date from which your subsidy can be paid.
The subsidy will be paid directly to your childcare provider and will be deducted from the cost of your childcare. Your childcare provider must be registered with Tusla.
For more information visit www.ncs.gov.ie or contact the National Childcare Scheme Parent Support Centre on (01) 906 8530 or email NCS@dcya.gov.ie.
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