Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:

To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, whether his Department has assessed the potential impact of Universal Credit childcare cost attribution rules on working parents required to pay school holiday club fees more than three assessment periods in advance.

The Government is committed to ensuring working families can access the childcare support they need.

Universal Credit is assessed on a monthly basis, with entitlement determined according to a household's circumstances in each assessment period. This approach allows awards to reflect changes as they occur and supports the accurate calculation of entitlement.

We recognise that some childcare providers require advance payment, which is why customers are able to report childcare costs up to three months in advance. However, childcare costs are reimbursed in the month the childcare is provided. This balances support for customers who pay for childcare in advance, while ensuring reimbursement is linked to childcare that has actually taken place.

In addition, the Department for Education’s Holiday Activities and Food programme provides support to children from low-income families during school holiday periods.