Guidance for parents and childcare providers on creating and managing your GOV.UK One Login to access the Childcare Offer for Wales service.
Contents
About GOV.UK One Login
GOV.UK One Login is the new way to access the Childcare Offer for Wales, and many other government services, using a single sign-in.
If you applied or registered for the Childcare Offer for Wales from 14 April 2025 you will access the service using GOV.UK One Login. You do not need to do anything further.
If you currently use Government Gateway to access the Childcare Offer for Wales, we will shortly ask you to migrate to GOV.UK One Login. We will contact you by email to ask you to do this.
Accessing the Childcare Offer for Wales for the first time
You will sign in to the Childcare Offer for Wales using GOV.UK One Login if you are a:
- parent applying for the first time
- provider registering your setting for the first time
- staff member joining an existing childcare setting for the first time
If you already have a GOV.UK One Login, you can use it when you apply or register.
If you do not have a GOV.UK One Login, you will create one when you apply or register.
Parents sign in with your GOV.UK One Login
- Go to: Parents sign in to your Childcare Offer for Wales account
- Select the green 'Sign in' button
- On the next screen, select the option to sign in with GOV.UK One Login
- Enter the email address and password you used to create your GOV.UK One Login
- Enter the security code sent to your mobile phone
Providers sign in with your GOV.UK One Login
- Go to: Providers sign in to your Childcare Offer for Wales account
- Select the green 'Sign in' button
- On the next screen, select the option to sign in with GOV.UK One Login
- Enter the email address and password you used to create your GOV.UK One Login
- Enter the security code sent to your mobile phone
Creating your GOV.UK One Login
You will use GOV.UK One Login to access the Childcare Offer for Wales if you:
- are applying or registering for the first time
- have migrated from Government Gateway
If you do not already have a GOV.UK One Login, you must create one.
To create your GOV.UK One Login you will need:
- an email address
- a secure password
- access to a mobile phone to receive security codes
You should choose an email address and mobile phone number that you are likely to have long term access to. You must not use a shared email address to create your GOV.UK One Login.
Signing in with your GOV.UK One Login
To sign in to the Childcare Offer for Wales with your GOV.UK One Login:
1. Select the Childcare Offer for Wales service you want to use:
2. Select the green ‘Sign in’ button
3. On the next screen, select the option to sign in with GOV.UK One Login
4. Enter the email address and password you used to create your GOV.UK One Login
5. Enter the security code sent to your mobile phone
Existing users accessing the Childcare Offer for Wales
Parents sign in with your GOV.UK One Login
- Go to: Parents sign in to your Childcare Offer for Wales account
- Select the green 'Sign in' button
- On the next screen, select the option to sign in with GOV.UK One Login
- Enter the email address and password you used to create your GOV.UK One Login
- Enter the security code sent to your mobile phone
Providers sign in with your GOV.UK One Login
- Go to: Providers sign in to your Childcare Offer for Wales account
- Select the green 'Sign in' button
- On the next screen, select the option to sign in with GOV.UK One Login
- Enter the email address and password you used to create your GOV.UK One Login
- Enter the security code sent to your mobile phone
Migrating from Government Gateway to GOV.UK One Login
If you currently use Government Gateway to access the Childcare Offer for Wales, we will ask you to migrate to GOV.UK One Login. We will contact you by email to ask you to do this. The next time you sign in, on-screen instructions will guide you through the migration process.
If you are both a parent and childcare provider, you can use the same GOV.UK One Login to access both sides of the Childcare Offer for Wales service. You must migrate both your Government Gateways separately to the same GOV.UK One Login.
When you need to migrate to GOV.UK One Login
You do not need to begin the migration process until we contact you by email. The next time you sign in to your account after receiving our email, an on-screen prompt will ask you to migrate to GOV.UK One Login.
There will be a transition period where you can still use your Government Gateway to sign in to the Childcare Offer for Wales. We encourage you to migrate to GOV.UK One Login as soon as you can during this time.
Your funding will be at risk if you do not migrate to GOV.UK One Login by the end of the transition period.
Choosing an email address for your GOV.UK One Login
When creating your GOV.UK One Login, you should use an email address that is unique to you. It does not need to be the same email address that you use for Government Gateway.
You must not use a shared email address to create your GOV.UK One Login.
If you are a member of a childcare setting, your email address must be different to the one the setting owner uses to access the Childcare Offer for Wales.
Parents with multiple Government Gateways
You should not have multiple Government Gateways linked to your Childcare Offer for Wales account. If you do, you must contact the Childcare Offer for Wales helpline for advice.
Providers with multiple Government Gateways
Some childcare settings use the same email address for each staff member’s Government Gateway. Each staff member must use a unique email address that only they have access to when creating their GOV.UK One Login.
If you have unique email addresses for your Government Gateways, you can migrate them to individual GOV.UK One Logins.
If you want to merge your multiple Government Gateways into a single GOV.UK One Login, you must contact the Childcare Offer for Wales helpline for advice.
Leaving the Childcare Offer for Wales service
If you leave the Childcare Offer for Wales before 1 September 2025 and no longer need to use it afterwards, you do not have to migrate to GOV.UK One Login.
What happens to your Government Gateway account after migration
Government Gateway will keep your account and the data within it for the time stated in the Government Gateway privacy notice on gov.uk.
Do not delete your Government Gateway account if you still use it with other public services.
Managing your GOV.UK One Login details
Once you have signed in to your GOV.UK One Login you can view and update your details.
You can:
- change your sign in details, such as email address, password or mobile phone number
- view and access the services you have used with your GOV.UK One Login
- delete your GOV.UK One Login
If you delete your GOV.UK One Login you will no longer be able to access your Childcare Offer for Wales account.
Your data and GOV.UK One Login
Read about how GOV.UK One Login stores and uses your information in the GOV.UK One Login privacy notice on gov.uk.
Getting further help
Help accessing and managing your Childcare Offer for Wales account
Parents contact the Childcare Offer for Wales helpline.
Providers contact the Childcare Offer for Wales helpline.