TaxReadySheets

Childminder take-home pay calculator for 2026/27

Registered childminders are self-employed, so the tax comes off your profit rather than your pay packet. Add up fees and funded hours, take off the costs of running your setting — including a fair slice of your household bills — and see what you really earn each month.

Checked for 2026/27 — uses the rates for 6 April 2026 to 5 April 2027, last reviewed 27 October 2026.

Your figures

Income for the tax year

Payments from your council for free early-years hours.

Start-up grants, food programme payments and similar.

Costs

Food, toys, craft materials, outings, insurance, training, registration fees.

Yearly gas, electricity, water, council tax and broadband for the whole home.

A fair estimate based on the rooms and hours used for the business.

Tick if you live in Scotland. Class 4 NI is the same across the UK.

Your estimate

Take-home per month

£0

Total income
£0.00
Use-of-home claim
£0.00
Total expenses claimed
£0.00
Taxable profit
£0.00
Income tax
£0.00
Class 4 National Insurance
£0.00
Total tax bill
£0.00
Take-home for the year
£0.00
Set aside each month for tax
£0.00

Results update as you type. No sign-up, and nothing you enter leaves your device.

Worked example

Priya childminds from home in Leeds. In 2026/27 parents pay her £24,000 and the council pays £6,000 for funded hours. Food, toys, outings and insurance cost £3,000. Her household bills total £4,000 a year and she estimates a quarter of that is down to childminding.

Fees + funded hours£30,000.00
Childminding expenses−£3,000.00
Use of home: £4,000 × 25%−£1,000.00
Taxable profit£26,000.00
Income tax: (£26,000 − £12,570) × 20%£2,686.00
Class 4 NI: £13,430 × 6%£805.80
Total tax bill£3,491.80
Take-home for the year£22,508.20
Take-home per month£1,875.68

Priya should move about £291 a month into a separate account to cover the bill, which is due by 31 January 2028.

How it works, in plain English

As a childminder you pay tax on your profit: everything you are paid, minus the allowable costs of looking after the children.

What counts as income

Include fees from parents, money from your council for funded early-years hours, and any business grants. Tax-Free Childcare and Universal Credit childcare payments made on behalf of parents are still fees to you.

Expenses you can claim

Food and drink for the children, toys, books, craft supplies, outings, public liability insurance, Ofsted or childminding agency fees, first-aid and other training, and a share of phone costs. Equipment such as a double buggy or safety gates can usually be claimed too.

Use of your home

Because you work in your own home, you can claim part of the household running costs — heating, lighting, water, council tax, broadband, cleaning. Choose a reasonable percentage based on how much of the home is used and for how long. Many childminders work it out room by room and hour by hour; keep a note of your method in case HMRC asks.

Tax and National Insurance

After the £12,570 personal allowance, profit is taxed at 20% up to £50,270 (Scotland has its own bands — tick the box). Class 4 NI is 6% on profit between £12,570 and £50,270 and 2% above. With profits of £7,105 or more you are treated as having paid Class 2, so the year counts towards your State Pension.

Frequently asked questions

Do childminders pay tax?

Yes — registered childminders are self-employed. You register for Self Assessment, file a tax return each year and pay income tax and Class 4 National Insurance on your profit above the allowances.

Are funded hours payments taxable?

Yes. Money from your local council for free early-years hours is business income, just like fees from parents. Add it to your turnover.

How much of my household bills can I claim?

A fair proportion based on the space and time used for childminding. There is no fixed percentage; 20–35% is common for someone who uses most of the ground floor during working hours, but it depends on your home. Write down how you reached your figure.

Can I use the £1,000 trading allowance instead?

You can, but only instead of your expenses, not as well as them. Almost all childminders spend well over £1,000 a year on food, toys and household costs, so claiming real expenses usually saves more — the calculator checks for you.

Will I need Making Tax Digital?

From April 2027 it applies if your total self-employed and property income (before expenses) was over £30,000 in 2025/26, and from April 2028 if over £20,000 in 2026/27. Use our Making Tax Digital checker to see your date.

Estimates only, not tax advice. These figures are a guide based on the information you enter and the 2026/27 rules. Your own position can differ — check GOV.UK or an accountant before relying on them.