Guidance

Childcare service: service availability and issues

Check the availability and any issues affecting the Childcare service.

From:
HM Revenue & Customs
Published
12 October 2017
Last updated
4 November 2024 — See all updates

Documents

Childcare service — service availability and issues

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Latest updates on the availability and any issues affecting the Childcare service.

Updates to this page

Published 12 October 2017
Last updated 4 November 2024 + show all updates

  1. Planned downtime from 8pm on Saturday 16 November 2024 to 8am Sunday 17 November 2024 has been added.

  2. Planned downtime from 4pm to 10pm on Sunday 3 November 2024 has been added.

  3. Planned downtime for 8pm on Saturday 26 October 2024 to 8am on Sunday 27 October 2024 has been cancelled.

  4. Planned downtime from 8pm on Saturday 26 October 2024 to 7am on Sunday 27 October 2024 has been changed and is now from 8pm on Saturday 26 October 2024 to 8am on Sunday 27 October 2024.

  5. Planned downtime from 8pm on Saturday 26 October 2024 to 7am on Sunday 27 October 2024 has been added.

  6. Planned downtime from 9pm on Tuesday 22 October 2024 to 3:30am on Wednesday 23 October 2024 has been added.

  7. Planned downtime from 9:30pm on Tuesday 17 September 2024 to 4:35am on Wednesday 18 September 2024 has been changed, and is now from 9pm on Tuesday 17 September 2024 to 4:35am on Wednesday 18 September 2024.

  8. Planned downtime from 9:30pm on Tuesday 17 September 2024 to 4:35am on Wednesday 18 September 2024 has been added.

  9. Planned downtime from 9am on Tuesday 10 September 2024 to 4:35am Wednesday 11 September 2024 has been changed and is now from 9pm on Tuesday 10 September 2024 to 4:30am Wednesday 11 September 2024. Planned downtime from 7pm on Saturday 14 September 2024 to 7am on Sunday 15 September 2024 has been changed and is now from 6:30pm Saturday 14 September 2024 to 8am Sunday 15 September 2024.

  10. Planned downtime from 9am on Tuesday 10 September 2024 to 4:35am Wednesday 11 September 2024 has been added. Planned downtime from 10pm Saturday 14 September 2024 to 6am Sunday 15 September has been changed, it is now from 7pm Saturday 14 September 2024 to 7am Sunday 15 September 2024.

  11. The service issue about an error message when applying for Tax-Free Childcare when using the Safari 6.0.6.4 browser has now been resolved.

  12. Planned downtime from 10pm on Saturday 14 September 2024 to 6am on Sunday 15 September 2024 has been added.

  13. Planned downtime from 10pm on Friday 12 July 2024 to 7am Monday 15 July 2024 has been added.

  14. Planned downtime from 9:30pm on Wednesday 26 June 2024 to 2:30am on Thursday 27 June 2024 has been changed. It is now from 9:30pm on Wednesday 26 June 2024 to 6am on Thursday 27 June 2024.

  15. Planned downtime from 9:30pm on Wednesday 26 June 2024 to 2:30am on Thursday 27 June 2024 has been added.

  16. Planned downtime from 6pm on Saturday 8 June 2024 to 4am Sunday 9 June 2024 and from 6pm on Saturday 15 June 2024 to 4am Sunday 16 June 2024 has been added.

  17. Planned downtime from 7pm on Friday 26 April 2024 to 7am Monday 29 April 2024 has been added.

  18. Planned downtime from 10pm on Saturday 23 March 2024 to 7am Sunday 24 March 2024 has been added.

  19. Planned downtime from 7pm to 11:30pm on Thursday 15 February 2024 has been added.

  20. Planned downtime has been extended and will now take place on Thursday 25 January 2024 from 7pm to 10:10pm.

  21. Planned downtime from 7pm to 9:45pm on Thursday 25 January 2024 has been added.

  22. Planned downtime from 11am to 1:45pm on Tuesday 16 January 2024 has been added.

  23. Planned downtime from 11:59pm on Monday 1 January 2024 to 8am Tuesday 2 January 2024 has been added.

  24. Planned downtime from 7pm to 10pm on Thursday 14 December 2023 has been added.

  25. Planned downtime for Wednesday 6 December 2023 has been cancelled.

  26. Planned downtime from 11am to 12:15pm on Wednesday 6 December 2023 has been added.

  27. The planned downtime from 3:35pm on Wednesday 22 November to 12:35pm on Thursday 23 November has been extended, it will now end at 4:30pm on Thursday 23 November.

  28. Planned downtime from 3:35pm on Wednesday 22 November 2023 to 12:35am on Thursday 23 November 2023 has been changed and is now from 3:35pm on Wednesday 22 November 2023 to 12:35pm on Thursday 23 November 2023.

  29. Planned downtime from 3:35pm on Wednesday 22 November 2023 to 11:35am on Thursday 23 November 2023 has been changed and is now from 3:35pm on Wednesday 22 November 2023 to 12:35am on Thursday 23 November 2023.

  30. Planned downtime from 3:35pm on Wednesday 22 November 2023 to 11:35am on Thursday 23 November 2023 and 10pm on Saturday 25 November 2023 to 5:35am on Sunday 26 November 2023 has been added.

  31. Planned downtime from 10pm on Saturday 18 November 2023 to 5:35am Sunday 19 November 2023 has been added.

  32. Planned downtime for Thursday 9 November 2023 has been cancelled.

  33. Planned downtime from 4pm on Wednesday 8 November 2023 to 4pm Thursday 9 November 2023 has been added.

  34. Planned downtime from 6:30pm to 8:30pm Saturday 23 September 2023 has been added.

  35. Planned downtime from 7:30pm on Friday 11 August 2023 to 6am on Sunday 13 August 2023 has been added.

  36. Planned downtime from midday Friday 23 June 2023 to 7am Monday 26 June 2023 has been added.

  37. Planned downtime from 11pm on Saturday 12 November 2022 to 7am on Sunday 13 November 2022 has been added.

  38. Planned downtime from 10pm on Friday 28 October 2022 to 7am Saturday 29 October 2022 has been added.

  39. Planned downtime from 10pm on Saturday 8 October 2022 to 5am Sunday 9 October 2022 has been added.

  40. Planned downtime from 10am to midday on Tuesday 20 September 2022 has been added.

  41. Planned downtime from 5:30pm on Saturday 9 July 2022 to 7am Sunday 10 July 2022 has been added.

  42. Planned downtime from 10:30pm on Saturday 11 June 2022 to 5am Sunday 12 June 2022 has been added.

  43. Planned downtime from 11pm on Saturday 14 May 2022 to 7:30am Sunday 15 May 2022 has been added.

  44. Planned downtime from 10pm on Wednesday 20 April 2022 to 3:30am on Thursday 21 April 2022 has been added.

  45. Planned downtime from 10pm on Tuesday 8 March 2022 to 00:30am on Wednesday 9 March 2022 has been added.

  46. Planned downtime from 11:15pm on Saturday 12 March 2022 to 7:15am on Sunday 13 March 2022 has been added.

  47. Planned downtime from 10pm on Tuesday 22 February 2022 to 2:45am on Wednesday 23 February 2022 has been added.

  48. Planned downtime from 10:30pm on Saturday 19 February 2022 to 5am on Sunday 20 February 2022 has been added.

  49. The planned downtime from 11pm on Saturday 22 January to 5am on Sunday 23 January 2022 has been changed and is now from 10:30pm on Saturday 22 January to 5am on Sunday 23 January 2022.

  50. Planned downtime from 11pm on Saturday 22 January to 5am on Sunday 23 January 2022 has been added.

  51. Planned downtime from Saturday 11 December 2021 11:15pm to 6:30am Sunday 12 December 2021 has been added.

  52. Planned downtime from 10:30pm on Saturday 4 December 2021 to 5am on Sunday 5 December 2021 has been added.

  53. Planned downtime from 10:15pm on Saturday 20 November 2021 to 7am Sunday 21 November 2021, and from 10pm on Monday 22 November 2021 to 3:30am Tuesday 23 November 2021 has been added.

  54. Planned downtime from 12:01am to 2am on Tuesday 23 November 2021 has been added.

  55. Planned downtime from 9pm on Tuesday 9 November 2021 to 1am on Wednesday 10 November 2021 has been added.

  56. The service maintenance scheduled from 10:30pm on Saturday 30 October 2021 to 6am on Sunday 31 October 2021 has been cancelled.

  57. Planned downtime from 10:30pm on Saturday 30 October 2021 to 6am on Sunday 31 October 2021 has been added.

  58. Planned downtime from Tuesday 19 October 2021 11:59pm to 5am Wednesday 20 October 2021 has been cancelled.

  59. Planned downtime from 11:59pm on Saturday 16 October 2021 to 7am on Sunday 17 October 2021 and from 11:59pm on Tuesday 19 October 2021 to 5am on Wednesday 20 October 2021 has been added.

  60. Planned downtime from 10pm on Monday 9 August 2021 to 3:30am Tuesday 10 August 2021 has been added.

  61. Planned downtime from 10pm on Wednesday 30 June to 2am on Thursday 1 July 2021 has been added.

  62. Planned downtime from 9:45 pm to 11:45pm on Wednesday 16 June 2021 has been added.

  63. Planned downtime from 10pm on Tuesday 18 May 2021 to 2am on Wednesday 19 May 2021 has been added.

  64. Planned downtime from 10pm on Thursday 22 April 2021 to 12:20am on Friday 23 April 2021 has been added.

  65. Planned downtime from 8:45pm on Monday 19 April 2021 to 1:50am Tuesday 20 April 2021 has been added.

  66. Planned downtime from 10pm on Saturday 13 February 2021 to 4am Sunday 14 February 2021.

  67. Planned downtime from 6pm on Saturday 6 February 2021 to 9am Sunday 7 February 2021 has been added.

  68. Planned downtime from 10pm on Tuesday 2 February to 2am on Wednesday 3 February has been added.

  69. Planned downtime from 10pm on Tuesday 19 January 2021 to 2am on Wednesday 20 January 2021 has been added.

  70. The planned downtime is no longer taking place, this service is fully available.

  71. Planned downtime from 6pm on Saturday 16 January to 9am on Sunday 17 January 2021 has been added.

  72. Planned downtime message from 10pm Tuesday 8 December 2020 to 1am on Wednesday 9 December 2020 has been added.

  73. Planned downtime from 10:00pm on Tuesday 24 November 2020 to 1:30am on Wednesday 25 November 2020 has been added.

  74. This service will be unavailable due to planned downtime between 11:30pm on Saturday 17 October 2020 to 5:30am on Sunday 18 October 2020.

  75. Planned downtime on Saturday 10 October 2020 at 9.30pm until 5am on 11 October 2020.

  76. Planned downtime message from 10pm on Tuesday 6 October 2020 to 1am on Wednesday 7 October 2020 has been added.

  77. Planned downtime from 10pm on Tuesday 15 September 2020 to 1:40am on Wednesday 16 September 2020 has been added.

  78. Planned downtime from 10pm on Wesdnesday 12 August 2020 to 3am on Thursday 13 August 2020 has been added.

  79. Due to scheduled maintenance you will be unable to access our online service from 12.01am on Wednesday 5 August to 2.30am Wednesday 5 August 2020.

  80. Due to scheduled maintenance you will be unable to access our online service from Wednesday 29 July 2020 12:01am to 2am 29 July 2020.

  81. Planned downtime from 10pm on Thursday 16 July 2020 to 12:35am on Friday 17 July 2020 has been added.

  82. Planned downtime from 10pm on Tuesday 7 July 2020 to 5am on Wednesday 8 July 2020 has been added.

  83. Planned downtime from 4:30pm on Saturday 4 July 2020 to 3:30am on Sunday 5 July 2020 has been added.

  84. Planned downtime from 11pm to 11:59pm on Tuesday 23 June 2020 has been added.

  85. Planned downtime from Wednesday 27 May 2020 10pm to 1:30am Thursday 28 May 2020 has been added.

  86. Due to scheduled maintenance you will be unable to access the service from 10pm on Tuesday 5 May 2020 to 1:30am on Wednesday 6 May 2020.

  87. Planned downtime for Saturday 25 April 2020 11:30pm to 6:00am Sunday 26 April 2020 has been added.

  88. Planned downtime from 11:30pm on Saturday 25 April 2020 to 3:30am on Sunday 26 April 2020 has been added.

  89. Planned downtime from 10:00pm on Tuesday 14 April 2020 to 2:30am on Wednesday 15 April 2020 has been added.

  90. Planned downtime from 10:15pm on Saturday 28 March 2020 to 3:15am on Sunday 29 March 2020 has been added.

  91. Planned downtime from 10pm on Thursday 26 March 2020 to 1am on Friday 27 March 2020 has been added.

  92. Planned downtime for Tuesday 10 March 2020 to Wednesday 11 March 2020 has been updated.

  93. Planned downtime from 10pm on Tuesday 10 March 2020 to 12:30am on Wednesday 11 March 2020 has been added.

  94. Planned downtime from 6pm on Saturday 7 March 2020 to 7:30am on Sunday 8 March 2020 has been added.

  95. This service will be unavailable from 11:59pm on Tuesday 25 February 2020 to 3am on Wednesday 26 February 2020.

  96. This service will be unavailable from Wednesday 19 February 2020 10pm to 2am Thursday 20 February 2020.

  97. The planned downtime for Tuesday 18 February 2020 from 11:59pm to 3am Wednesday 19 February 2020 has been cancelled.

  98. This service will be unavailable from from 23:59 on Tuesday 18 February to 3am on Wednesday 19 February 2020. Information about this issue has been added.

  99. This service will be unavailable from Saturday 8 February 2020 11pm to 12:01am Sunday 9 February 2020.

  100. This service is available as normal.

  101. This service will be unavailable from 11pm on Thursday 6 February to 2am on Friday 7 February 2020.

  102. This service will be unavailable from 10pm on Thursday 23 January to 2am on Friday 24 January 2020.

  103. Planned downtime from 11pm on Thursday 16 January 2020 to 1am on Friday 17 January 2020 has been added.

  104. Planned downtime from 10pm on Thursday 28 November 2019 to 12.30am on Friday 29 November 2019 has been added.

  105. The Debit card payment browser issue has been resolved.

  106. Information about debit card payments in the Chrome browser on a mobile device has been added.

  107. Planned downtime from 11:59pm on Tuesday 19 November 2019 to 3am on Wednesday 20 November 2019 has been added.

  108. This service will be unavailable on Sunday 17 November 2019 from 5am to 9am.

  109. This service will be unavailable from 10pm on Thursday 7 November 2019 to 12:05am on Friday 8 November 2019.

  110. This service will be unavailable from 10pm on Saturday 9 November 2019 to 4am on Sunday 10 November 2019. Information about this issue has been added.

  111. This service will be unavailable from midday to 8pm on Saturday 12 October 2019.

  112. This service will be unavailable from 10pm on Thursday 26 September 2019 to 2am on Friday 27 September 2019.

  113. Planned downtime for 10pm on Thursday 15 August 2019 to 6:30am on Friday 16 August 2019 has been added.

  114. You will not be able to use this service from 10:30pm on Friday 2 August 2019 to 2:30am on Saturday 3 August 2019. Information about this issue has been added.

  115. Planned downtime for 11pm on Thursday 25 July 2019 to 1:30am on Friday 26 July 2019 has been added.

  116. This service will be unavailable from 10:00pm on Friday 12 July to 3am on Saturday 13 July 2019. Information about this issue has been added.

  117. The service has now been restored and is available.

  118. A service issue message has been added to the page because the service is currently unavailable.

  119. This service will be unavailable from 11:30pm on Saturday 29 June to 6am on Sunday 30 June 2019. Information about this issue has been added.

  120. Planned downtime for Thursday 20 June 2019 from 10pm to 2:30am on Friday 21 June 2019 and planned downtime for 5am to 8am on Sunday 23 June 2019 has been added.

  121. This service will be unavailable from 10:15pm on Friday 14 June to 2:45am on Saturday 15 June 2019. Information about this issue has been added.

  122. Planned downtime on Wednesday 29 May 2019 from 11pm to 2am on Thursday 30 May 2019 has been added.

  123. Planned downtime for 10pm to 11pm on Tuesday 28 May 2019 has been added.

  124. The planned service downtime for Sunday 19 May from 4am to 8am has been cancelled.

  125. The childcare service will be unavailable from 4am to 8am Sunday 19 May 2019.

  126. Planned downtime from 10pm Tuesday 14 May 2019 to 2:30am Wednesday 15 May 2019 has been added.

  127. Planned downtime from 10pm Thursday 11 April 2019 to 2am Friday 12 April 2019 has been added.

  128. You will be unable to use this service from 10pm on Thursday 4 April 2019 to 2am on 5 April 2019. Information about this issue has been added.

  129. You will be unable to access our online service from 10pm on Sunday 31 March 2019 to 1am on Monday 1 April 2019.

  130. Planned downtime from 11am on Friday 22 March 2019 to 2am on Saturday 23 March 2019 has been cancelled.

  131. You will be unable to access our online service from 10pm on Thursday 21 March 2019 to 1am on Friday 22 March 2019, and from 11pm on Friday 22 March 2019 to 2am on Saturday 23 March 2019.

  132. You will be unable to access our online service from 10pm on Wednesday 20 March 2019 to 2am on Thursday 21 March 2019 and from 10pm on Thursday 21 March 2019 to 1am on Friday 22 March 2019.

  133. You will be unable to access our online service from 10pm on Saturday 23 February 2019 to 1am on Sunday 24 February 2019. Information about this issue has been added.

  134. You will be unable to use this service from 10pm on Thursday 14 February 2019 to 3am on Friday 15 February 2019. More information about this issue has been added.

  135. Planned downtime for 12 February to 13 February has been updated.

  136. You will be unable to use this service from 11pm Tuesday 12 February 2019 to 3am Wednesday 13 February 2019. More information about this has been added.

  137. Planned downtime for Sunday 3 February 2019 from 12:01am to 6am has been added.

  138. This service will be unavailable from 10pm on Tuesday 29 January 2019 to 2am on Wednesday 30 January 2019. More information about this issue has been added.

  139. Planned downtime for Saturday 19 January 2019 from 12:01am to 6am to complete scheduled maintenance has been added.

  140. The Childcare service will be unavailable from midnight to 1am on Thursday 10 January 2019.

  141. The planned service downtime has been cancelled.

  142. You'll be unable to access this online service from 12:01am to 6am on 15 December 2018. Information about this issue has been added.

  143. Planned downtime for Tuesday 27 November 2018 10pm to 2am Wednesday 28 November 2018 has been added.

  144. Planned downtime for Tuesday 13 November 2018 10pm to 2am Wednesday 14 November 2018 has been added.

  145. Service issue for Thursday 8 November 2018 from 6pm to 11pm has been added.

  146. Planned downtime from 10pm on Thursday October 18 2018 to 4am on Friday 19 October 2018 has been added.

  147. Planned downtime from 11pm on Saturday October 6 2018 to 4am on Sunday 7 October 2018 has been added.

  148. Planned downtime from 10pm on Thursday 4 October 2018 to 2am on Friday 5 October 2018 has been added.

  149. Planned downtime from 10pm on Saturday 29 September 2018 to 3am on Sunday 30 September 2018 has been cancelled.

  150. Planned downtime from 10pm on Saturday 29 September 2018 to 3am on Sunday 30 September 2018 has been added.

  151. A planned dowtime message has been added for 15 September 2018 as there is currently a problem affecting the service.

  152. Planned downtime from 10pm on Wednesday 22 August 2018 to 2am on Thursday 23 August 2018 has been added.

  153. Planned downtime from midnight to 1:30am on Friday 17 August 2018 has been added.

  154. Planned downtime from 11pm on Tuesday 7 August 2018 to 1:30am on Wednesday 8 August 2018 has been added.

  155. Planned downtime for Friday 3 August 2018 has been added.

  156. You may get an error message if you apply for Tax-Free Childcare using the Safari 6.0.6.4 browser. If you do, use a different browser if you have access to one.

  157. Planned downtime from 5am to 9am on Sunday 24 June 2018 has been added.

  158. Planned downtime from 10pm on Thursday 14 June 2018 to 2am on Friday 15 June 2018 has been added.

  159. Planned downtime from 10pm on Thursday 31 May 2018 to 2am on Friday 1 June 2018 has been added.

  160. Planned downtime from 10pm on Thursday 19 April 2018 to 2am on Friday 20 April 2018 has been added.

  161. Page updated to show there is no planned downtime.

  162. Planned downtime on 15 April 2018 4am to 5am has been added to this page.

  163. Planned downtime for 12 April 2018 has been added.

  164. Planned downtime between Wednesday 14 March 2018 10pm to Thursday 15 March 2018 2am added to the page.

  165. Planned downtime between Wednesday 28 February 2018 10pm to Thursday 1 March 2018 2am added to the page.

  166. Planned downtime for 7 February 2018 10pm and 8 February 2018 2am added to the page.

  167. You will be unable to access the Childcare service between 4am and 6am on Sunday 4 February 2018

  168. Planned downtime has been added for the childcare service on 18 January 2018 to 19 January 2018 and 20 January 2018 to 21 January 2018.

  169. There is planned downtime for the Childcare service from 12:01am to 2:30am on Sunday 12 November 2017.

  170. The Childcare service will be unavailable on 9 November 2017 from 10pm till 11:59pm.

  171. There is planned downtime for the Childcare service between 10pm on 6 November 2017 to 2am on 7 November 2017.

  172. The Childcare service will be unavailable from 11pm on Thursday 26 October 2017 to 1am on Friday 27 October 2017.

  173. There is planned downtime for the Childcare service between 11:00pm Monday 23 October and 00:01am Tuesday 24 October.

  174. First published.

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