Childcare accounts

19Payments into childcare accounts

(1)

In this Act “qualifying payment” means any payment made into a childcare account, other than—

(a)

a top-up payment, or

(b)

a repayment of the whole or part of any payment made from the childcare account.

But for the purposes of paragraph (b) a withdrawal made by the account-holder is not to be regarded as a payment made from a childcare account.

(2)

Any person (including the account-holder) may make a qualifying payment into a childcare account during an entitlement period, provided that—

(a)

the account-holder has made a valid declaration of eligibility for the entitlement period, and

(b)

the child in respect of whom the account is held is a qualifying child at the time of the payment.

This is subject to any provision made by or under this Act.

(3)

More than one qualifying payment may be made into a childcare account during an entitlement period.

(4)

But the sum of any qualifying payments made into a childcare account in an entitlement period must not exceed the relevant maximum for the entitlement period.

(5)

The relevant maximum for an entitlement period F1is—

(a)

in the case of a disabled child, £4,000, and

(b)

in the case of any other child, £2,000.

This is subject to subsection (6).

(6)

Regulations may provide, or enable HMRC to provide, that in circumstances specified in the regulations the relevant maximum for an entitlement period is an amount—

(a)

specified in, or determined in accordance with, the regulations, or

(b)

determined by HMRC in accordance with powers conferred by the regulations.

(7)

Regulations may amend subsection (5) so as to substitute a different amount or amounts for any amount for the time being specified there.

(8)

For the purposes of subsection (4), any amount paid into a childcare account at any time during an entitlement period is to be disregarded if at a later time during the entitlement period an equivalent amount is withdrawn from the account by the account-holder.

(9)

The account provider must notify HMRC of any qualifying payments made into a childcare account.

F2(10)

In subsection (5) “disabled child” is to be read in accordance with regulations made under section 14(1).