Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:

To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what support is available for Universal Credit claimants to access a registered or approved childcare provider.

Through Universal Credit, eligible parents can claim back up to 85% of their registered childcare costs each month up to the maximum amount of £646.35 for one child and £1,108.04 for two or more children each month, regardless of the number of hours they work. For those who need extra financial support for their first set of childcare costs when moving in to work, or when they are significantly increasing their work hours, they can apply for help from the Flexible Support Fund. Importantly, the UC childcare element can be used to top up a claimant’s eligible 15 or 30 hours of free childcare if further childcare is required to support a working parent.

We also have products in place to ensure Work Coaches are able to explain the free childcare offer to parents. Work coaches signpost to the Childcare Choices website for more information about the wider Government childcare offers available.