Tax free childcare calculation

[Toothy321]

I want to make a regular monthly payment into tax free childcare account. What amount do I need to put in to get the full government top up - no more no less? Childcare costs currently lower than this but will spike seasonally so want to build up the account to maximise government top up.

667

Technically 666.67

For every £4 you put in the gov puts in £1 up to a max of £500 a quarter. So to her £167 a month you need to put in 4 times that which is £667

Thanks!

This is handy as it can account for the top-up limit:

taxfreechildcarecalculator.com/

My friend said something about the amount expiring after a couple of months - not sure if this is true but maybe worth researching?

Like the bonus expires? I don't think so, but the top up amount you can get does

You only can claim £500 a quarter, it doesn't role over so say you put in £400 a month you would get £100 a month top up and £300 over the quarter. You lose access to the other £200 even if in the following quarter you put in more than the £667 a month qualifying for the full £500 that quarter.
Once you have had the bonus you can use it. You can remove money from the account but you can only remove the money you have put in and not the government top up.

If you withdraw money already paid in, do you get to keep the govt top up in your account?