The National Childcare Scheme (NCS) is a subsidy provided to help parents to meet the cost of childcare and allow children to access Early Learning and School Age Childcare. The subsidy is progressive and depends on a number of factors including the age of the child, the income of the household and the number of children in the family. Those with the lowest incomes receive the highest subsidies. The subsidy is subtracted from the fee and the balance (if the fee is not entirely offset) is then charged to the parents. These subsidies can be as much as €229.50 per week
It is important to note that the hourly subsidy awarded to each family under the income-assessed scheme varies depending upon a number of factors including the age and number of their children, and their household's reckonable income. This award can then be used to off-set the cost of up to 45 hours of care a week, but the number of hours used is a matter for the individual family and their provider. This variability in family claims should be borne in mind when considering the figures.
Table 1: The total value of successful claims with application type of Income Assessed by year and income band (with income <= €60k)
|
Income band
|
2020
|
2021
|
2022
|
2023
|
2024*
|
Total
|
|
<= 20,000
|
€12,381,719
|
€33,983,436
|
€46,240,734
|
€53,304,873
|
€19,322,214
|
€165,232,977
|
|
20,001-30,000
|
€12,502,793
|
€34,436,444
|
€50,853,439
|
€62,081,006
|
€23,682,137
|
€183,555,819
|
|
30,001-40,000
|
€9,939,300
|
€25,466,244
|
€35,054,641
|
€45,479,099
|
€18,508,805
|
€134,448,089
|
|
40,001-50,000
|
€6,343,962
|
€14,301,669
|
€19,615,107
|
€27,850,985
|
€10,385,687
|
€78,497,410
|
|
50,001-60,000
|
€2,270,778
|
€4,818,243
|
€6,542,941
|
€14,701,979
|
€5,720,690
|
€34,054,631
|
|
Total
|
€43,438,552
|
€113,006,036
|
€158,306,862
|
€203,417,943
|
€77,619,533
|
€595,788,926
|
Table 2: The number of unique children with a successful claim with application type of Income Assessed by year and income band (with income <= €60k)
Please note that children may have more than one application in any calendar year and the applications may have different income levels so children may appear in more than one income category in the same calendar year. A significant proportion of children have claims in more than one calendar year.
|
Income band
|
2020
|
2021
|
2022
|
2023
|
2024*
|
|
<= 20,000
|
7,780
|
13,720
|
18,708
|
21,183
|
13,454
|
|
20,001-30,000
|
7,887
|
14,898
|
20,976
|
25,533
|
16,699
|
|
30,001-40,000
|
8,052
|
14,531
|
19,235
|
23,719
|
16,434
|
|
40,001-50,000
|
7,435
|
12,333
|
16,263
|
19,090
|
12,512
|
|
50,001-60,000
|
5,672
|
8,687
|
11,348
|
14,103
|
9,499
|
|
Total
|
33,146
|
52,927
|
70,447
|
81,483
|
64,313
|
Table 3a: The average hourly subsidy for successful claims with application type of Income Assessed by year and income band (with income <= €60k)
|
Income band
|
2020
|
2021
|
2022
|
2023
|
2024*
|
|
<= 20,000
|
€4.12
|
€4.09
|
€4.05
|
€4.01
|
€4.00
|
|
20,001-30,000
|
€3.98
|
€3.94
|
€3.92
|
€3.91
|
€3.90
|
|
30,001-40,000
|
€3.05
|
€3.03
|
€3.04
|
€3.30
|
€3.29
|
|
40,001-50,000
|
€1.93
|
€1.92
|
€1.96
|
€2.54
|
€2.53
|
|
50,001-60,000
|
€0.87
|
€0.86
|
€0.94
|
€1.81
|
€1.81
|
|
Total
|
€2.88
|
€2.97
|
€3.00
|
€3.28
|
€3.25
|
Table 3b: The average weekly subsidy for successful claims with application type of Income Assessed by year and income band (with income <= €60k)
|
Income band
|
2020
|
2021
|
2022
|
2023
|
2024*
|
|
<= 20,000
|
€97.7
|
€98.2
|
€96.4
|
€93.5
|
€87.9
|
|
20,001-30,000
|
€93.0
|
€93.9
|
€93.6
|
€91.7
|
€86.8
|
|
30,001-40,000
|
€71.0
|
€72.3
|
€71.0
|
€74.9
|
€70.0
|
|
40,001-50,000
|
€47.0
|
€47.1
|
€46.6
|
€57.5
|
€53.0
|
|
50,001-60,000
|
€22.9
|
€22.7
|
€23.1
|
€42.0
|
€38.5
|
|
Total
|
€68.4
|
€71.5
|
€71.3
|
€75.7
|
€70.5
|
* To 18th May 2024
The number of unique children with an NCS claim is defined as those with at least one successful claim ( i.e. a claim that was eligible for payment following submission of attendance returns by the service provider and parental confirmation, where applicable) for each year 2020, 2021, 2022, 2023 and 2024 year to date (until 18 May 2024).
The information provided is for claims with an Application Type of “Income Assessed” with the income provided being the reckonable income. Some applications may have type “Income Assessed”, but the actual award may be at universal subsidy rates if the reckonable income is too high. Therefore, in the tables above, claims with incomes > €60,000 have been excluded.
The sum of the children across all years by income band is not provided because children may have subsequent applications with different income bands. The total number of unique children with Income Assessed claims with income <= 60k is 114,515.
Children may have more than one application in any calendar year and the applications may have different income levels so children may appear in more than one income category in the same calendar year. A significant proportion of children have claims in more than one calendar year.
