Question to the Department for Education:

To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what estimate her Department has made of the number of apprentices (a) studying for roles in health and social care and (b) other roles who are working parents and will not be able to access the expanded 30 hours free childcare offer in 2024-25.

The department does not hold the data on how many apprentices will be unable to access the expanded free hours offer in 2024/25.

In the Spring Budget 2023, the government announced a number of transformative reforms to childcare for parents, children and the economy. By 2027/28, the government will expect to be spending in excess of £8 billion every year on free hours and early education, helping working families with their childcare costs. This represents the single biggest investment in childcare in England ever.

The announcement included the expansion of the 30 hours free childcare offer, through which eligible working parents in England will be able to access 30 hours of free childcare per week for 38 weeks per year from when their child is 9 months old to when they start school. The key objective of this measure is to support parental participation in the labour market, which is why the offer is conditional on work.

To be eligible, as with the existing 30 hours offer, parents will need to earn at least the equivalent of 16 hours a week at the national minimum/living wage, and under £100,000 per year. This means that parents can be eligible if they earn from just over £167 per week or £8,670 per year from April 2023. This offer aims to support working families with the cost of childcare and to support parents back into work or to work more hours should they wish to.

All parents including apprentices who earn equivalent of at least 16 hours a week at national minimum/living wage, and under £100,000 adjusted net income per year, will be eligible for this offer. If they are unable to meet this threshold, they will remain eligible for the universal 15 hours of free early education, which is available to all 3 and 4 year olds regardless of family circumstances.

Further information on the childcare offers available to parents can be found at: https://www.childcarechoices.gov.uk.