More than 27,000 children in Northern Ireland received support through the Northern Ireland Childcare Subsidy Scheme during the 2025-26 financial year, according to new data.

Annual figures show 27,486 children from 20,210 households were supported by the scheme, with £18.4 million paid directly to families through childcare subsidies. When combined with Tax-Free Childcare, the support generated an estimated £38.6 million in savings for working parents across Northern Ireland.

The scheme provided eligible families with up to £184 per child per month, equivalent to £2,208 per child annually. Analysis of claims data found that only 2.7 percent of claims reached the maximum monthly subsidy. For children below primary school age, the figure was 3.5 percent, indicating that current subsidy levels met the needs of most families.

The data also showed that 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 the subsidy scheme for day nursery users was £683 per month. Only 4 percent of claims related to childcare costs exceeding £1,200 per month, suggesting that many parents were not using full-time childcare provision. This pattern reflects the range of arrangements found in the 2024 NISRA Childcare Survey.

Education Minister Paul Givan said the figures demonstrated the scheme's contribution to working families, noting that the extension of the subsidy to school-age childcare in September 2025 marked an important step forward. He added that support remained concentrated among younger children, where childcare costs and demand are highest.