Important Update: Extension of the NICSS for School Aged Childcare

Early Years welcomes the Minister's announcement on May 15th in relation to extending the NICSS to include school aged childcare provision for families who are registered with Tax Free Childcare. This means that from 1st September 2025 working parents of school age children can now receive the 15% subsidy, up to the capped amount, on their childcare bills. 

 There is no immediate action required. 

Over the next two months Early Years will be building out the required infrastructure to allow new school aged childcare claims on the NICSS portal. The core principle of this work will be ensuring that the process remains as simple and straightforward as possible, allowing parents to register children and providers to submit claims. 

We will ensure that claims can be made for all eligible registered children for provision offered from September 1st. 

Early Years will provide further updates in due course. In the meantime if you have any queries please contact:

T: +44 (0)28 9066 2825 (Option 5)

E: nicssprovider@early-years.org for providers

E: nicssparent@early-years.org for parents