Childcare
(asked on 16th January 2023) - View Source
Question to the Department for Education:
To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what assessment she has made of the potential merits of extending free childcare.
Improving the cost, choice, and availability of childcare is a priority for this government. The department is already exploring options to help parents access the childcare they need. Further information on the childcare offers available to parents can be found at: https://www.childcarechoices.gov.uk.
The department has built up a significant early education and childcare offer to parents. In 2010, to support children to develop social skills and prepare them for school, the government extended free early education and care for all three and four-year-olds, regardless of parental income or working status, from 12.5 hours a week to 15 hours a week.
In 2013, the department introduced 15 hours of free early education and care for disadvantaged two year-olds, which aims to support improved educational outcomes for the most disadvantaged children who are the least likely to take up formal childcare, but who stand to benefit from it the most.
In 2017, the department introduced an additional 15 hours, providing a total of 30 hours of free early education and care for working parents of three and four-year-olds, if they earn the equivalent of 16 hours a week at national minimum or living wage and under £100,000 per year. This can help save working parents up to £6,000 a child per year.
Tax-Free Childcare is also available to parents who meet the same income criteria as the 30 hours free childcare entitlement, and can be worth up to £2,000 per year for children aged 0 to 11, or up to £4,000 per year for disabled children aged up to 17.
Through the roll out of Universal Credit, eligible working parents are now able to claim back up to 85% of their childcare costs.
The government is also investing over £200 million a year in our Holiday Activities and Food (HAF) programme, which all local authorities in England deliver in the Easter, summer and Christmas holidays.