Record each child on JPA
Wraparound childcare
Get funding for the cost of up to 20 hours of before and after school care for your 4 to 11-year-old children
Eligibility check:
Am I eligible?
Wraparound Childcare is available to Regular Service Personnel, including those who are serving overseas unaccompanied; and FTRS (Full Commitment), (Limited Commitment) and (Home Commitment). The more detailed eligibility criteria can be found in WAC eligibility critera
What is this for?
Defence recognises that Service parents face additional difficulties when trying to access good quality, affordable childcare for their children. The Wraparound Childcare (WAC) scheme is designed to assist working families with the cost of before and after school childcare and to allow partners to get back into work (or work more hours). WAC funding became available to all eligible Service families across the UK in the autumn term 2022.
What do I get?
You will be able to claim up to 20 hours of WAC funding per week for each child during term time. To find out how much you will be able to claim, use the WAC Benefits Calculator at the bottom of this page. The rates are based on the regional average costs included in the Coram (England, Scotland and Wales) and Northern Ireland Childcare Surveys.
The childcare provider may be run by private companies, nurseries, schools, sports and youth clubs or voluntary organisations such as charities but excludes all types of informal childcare such as grandparents, friends and babysitters. Providers must be located in the UK. All providers must be OFSTED registered (or equivalent) and accept Tax Free Childcare (TFC) payments.
Disabled children who are in receipt of Disability Living Allowance, Personal Independence Payment, Armed Forces Independence Payment, or are certified as blind or severely sight-impaired, may be able to claim double the amount of funding.
Foster children are not eligible for WAC funding.
How do Service families claim Wraparound childcare funding?
To benefit from the WAC scheme, you must complete the following five steps in sequential order.
1
2
Check if you meet the WAC eligibility criteria
3
Apply for a TFC account for each child on GOV.UK. Wait until the TFC account is activated and you have your account number. A TFC account must be in place for each child before the WAC registration form can be completed. A TFC account is not WAC registration.
4
Register each child by completing the Registration form on defnet
Wait for the confirmation email before continuing onto step 5. A WAC registration number (in the format WAC000000) must be in place for each child before claiming the WAC allowance.
Important registration note: Once submitted, The WAC registration form will be checked against JPA. If the family is assessed as eligible to claim, the registration number will be emailed to the Service person that submitted the registration form.If a Service person submits a claim before being issued with a WAC registration number, recovery action will be taken, and the Service person will be subject to administrative or disciplinary action.
5
Claim up to 20 hours per week per child. More detail can be found in the ‘How to claim autumn 23’ document’
WAC How to ClaimFor more information
For more information read:
WAC grossing up document which has important information about how WAC may affect your income tax payments and other benefits that you receive.
How to claim guide
TFC Salary sacrifice info
July 2022 GOV.UK announcement which explains why WAC is important for current and future Service families.
WAC DIN - 2022DIN01-079 on defnet or Defence Connect (Service personnel only)
Wraparound childcare calculator
Need more information?
Defnet access only
Wraparound Childcare Portal (Defnet)
Visit the Wraparound Childcare portal and read the relevant WAC pilot DIN and Information Pack
Defence Gateway
Wraparound Childcare Portal (Def Gateway)
Visit the Wraparound Childcare portal and read the relevant WAC pilot DIN and Information Pack