Record each child on JPA (Service Personnel only)
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).
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.
More detailed information can be found in the WAC eligibility criteria document.
What is this for?
Defence recognises that Service parents face additional difficulties when trying to access good quality, enriching and appropriate 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).
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. On average, your family could save up to £3,400 per child, per year.
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.
Which childcare providers can I use?
The childcare provider may be run by private companies, nurseries, schools, sports and youth clubs, voluntary organisations such as charities, or may be a nanny. The scheme cannot be used for 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.
How do Service families claim Wraparound Childcare funding?
To benefit from the WAC scheme, you must complete the five steps below in sequential order.
1
Record on JPA
2
3
Apply for TFC account
A TFC account must be in place for each child before the WAC registration form can be completed.
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 is not WAC registration.
4
Register each child
REGISTER each child and add your childcare provider on JPA – in the ‘My child allowances: WAC’ section. Detailed step by step guidance can be found at step by step registration guide (only accessible on DefNet)
WAIT until the registration status of your child shows as ‘registered’ before continuing to step 5.
5
Claim
CLAIM up to 20 hours per week, per child. You can do this by adding the invoice information into JPA – in the ‘My child allowances: WAC’ section. The step by step claim guide (only accessible on defnet) provides details instructions on how to do this.
For more information
For more information about WAC in general 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 flow chart
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)
Still have a question? Contact the WAC team: People-AFFS-WAC-FRO-mailbox@mod.gov.uk
Wraparound childcare calculator
Page last updated: 2 September 2024
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