Education Minister Paul Givan has highlighted the positive impact of the Northern Ireland Childcare Subsidy Scheme (NICSS), with new figures showing that more than 27,000 children benefited from the scheme during 2025-26.
New annual data shows that NICSS supported 27,486 children from 20,210 households during the 2025-26 financial year, with £18.4million paid directly to families through childcare subsidies. When combined with Tax-Free Childcare (TFC), this generated an estimated £38.6million in savings for working parents across Northern Ireland.
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Paul Givan said: “The data published today demonstrate the significant contribution that the Northern Ireland Childcare Subsidy Scheme is making to eligible working families across Northern Ireland. We know that childcare costs remain a major concern for many parents, however NICSS is helping to ease those financial pressures by making childcare more affordable and contribute to supporting parents to enter, remain in, or increase participation in work.”
Throughout the 2025-26 year, eligible families could receive childcare support of up to £184 per child per month, equivalent to £2,208 per child annually. Analysis of claims data found that only 2.7% of claims reached the maximum monthly subsidy, indicating that the current subsidy limits continue to provide meaningful support for the vast majority of families. This is also true for those with children below Primary school age when childcare bills tend to be at their highest; only 3.5% of these parents claimed the maximum available subsidy.
The Minister continued:“It is particularly encouraging to see that very few families reached the maximum subsidy cap during the year. This suggests that the current subsidy levels continue to provide meaningful support across the range of childcare costs experienced for the vast majority of working parents.”
The NICSS data provides valuable insight into how families are using formal childcare. While the average cost of a full-time day nursery place was £1,210 per month as of April 2025, the average childcare invoice submitted through NICSS for day nursery users was £683 per month. Only 4% of claims related to childcare costs exceeding £1,200 per month, suggesting that many parents are not using full-time childcare provision.
This reflects the 2024 NISRA Childcare Survey findings, which highlighted the range of childcare arrangements used by families due to potentially a combination of affordability considerations, parental working arrangements, the use of informal childcare, and the availability of other forms of provision.
Paul Givan concluded:”The Northern Ireland Childcare Subsidy Scheme continues to support eligible working families.
“The extension of the scheme to school-age childcare in September 2025 marked an important step forward, while the continued concentration of support among younger children reflects where childcare costs and demand are greatest. The data highlights the ongoing value of the NICSS in helping families access the childcare they need.”
The full publication, including detailed tables and supporting information, is available at: https://www.education-ni.gov.
Further information is available in the Written Ministerial Statement, available at: https://www.education-ni.gov.
