Advice for Providers
The Northern Ireland Childcare Subsidy Scheme (NICSS) is a Department of Education initiative aimed at reducing childcare costs by 15% for eligible working parents of qualifying children.
The subsidy scheme targets working parents who are eligible for Tax Free Childcare (TFC) and have children who have not yet started primary school. Starting from 1st September 2024[1], any parent receiving TFC for a child who has not yet enrolled in primary school will be eligible to participate in the scheme provided their childcare provider is signed up with HMRC as a TFC provider.
[1] The Executive has provided funding for the scheme up to the end of March 2025. Evaluation and budget availability will determine future funding.
Next Steps for Providers
If you are eligible and would like to register to participate in the Northern Ireland Subsidy Scheme, please complete the form below:
Walk through Videos
As a provider you can watch below video and see how to complete the registration process:
As a provider you can watch the below video and see how you can use the portal to process claims:
Provider Documentation
Download the below invoice templates that have been designed to assist with creating an invoice -
Download the below templates if you have a child with TFC disability -
Contact Us
E: nicssprovider@early-years.org
E: nicsschildminder@early-years.org
T: +44 (0)28 9066 2825 (Option 5)