HMRC has announced that, with effect from 15 January 2018, the tax-free childcare scheme will be open to parents of children whose youngest child is under nine, or who turned nine on 15 January 2018. The scheme will open to all remaining eligible families with children under 12 on the 14 February 2018.
See: Tax-Free Childcare opens to children under 9, gov.uk, 15 January 2018.