The Wraparound Childcare (WAC) scheme provides funding to eligible Service parent(s) for up to 20 hours per week of before and after school childcare during term time only.
Funding for WAC is designed to assist working Service families with the cost of before and after school childcare and to allow partners to get back into work (or for both partners to potentially work more hours).
If your child is under 4 years old or you are a civilian, find out what childcare support is available to you on gov.uk.
Setting up your Tax-Free Childcare (TFC) account
Families planning to register for WAC from autumn 2023 can apply for their TFC accounts now, to avoid delays in claiming when the WAC registration is open for autumn term 2023.
What you need to know:
- TFC accounts can be opened by either the Serving or non-Serving parent.
- The childcare provider must also have a TFC account and be able to accept TFC payments.
- Read the full eligibility criteria for the TFC accounts, this can be found at Tax-Free Childcare - GOV.UK. Sign up for a TFC account now
Who is it for?
- Regular or FTRS (FC) Service personnel serving in the UK or overseas unaccompanied
- Service parents with children aged 4 to 11 years old who live at home and attend school or are home schooled in the UK.
- Service parents with children attending before and after school care during term time. Check if you are eligible and read the FAQs
How do I Register?
To register for WAC funding, you need two things in place:
- a Tax-Free Childcare (TFC) account must be in place for each child that you want to claim WAC funding for, which either parent can set up.
- Your child(ren) must be registered on JPA.
Service Personnel will be able to claim up to 80% (within capped rates) of WAC costs back through JPA in addition to the remaining 20% being paid directly into the TFC account from HMRC, when funding is transferred to the account.
What you need to know:
- No claims can be submitted prior to the TFC account being activated and until the Service parent has been registered for WAC.
- You cannot currently pre-register your 4-year-old child(ren). Your 4-year-old child(ren) must have started school full-time before they are eligible for the WAC scheme. More information on how to register your child for WAC from autumn 2023 will be available soon.
Tools and Resources
You can claim WAC in five steps – to follow these steps and find supporting resources visit: * Discover my Benefits Army, RAF, Navy or Marines * Defence Childcare Portal on defnet or Defence Connect
Any queries?
Personnel and Service families can email the WAC team at PEOPLE-AFFS-WAC-FRO-mailbox@mod.gov.uk.
