Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:

To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what assessment his Department has made of whether childcare provision will be sufficient to provide for the potential change in the number of parents with pre-school age children who will move into work after the benefit cap changes; if he will ensure that such parents with high priority access to the Flexible Support Fund pay for the deposit and upfront fees required by childcare providers.

The Government is committed to helping parents into a job that fits with their caring responsibilities. That is why it offers 15 hours of free childcare for the most disadvantaged 2 year olds, and all 3 and 4 year olds, worth up to £2,500 per child per year (rising to 30 hours for working parents of 3 and 4 year olds from September 2017, worth around £5,000 per year), as well as support for childcare costs through Working Tax Credits and Universal Credit. The Government is also introducing Tax-Free Childcare, worth up to £2,000 per year per child up to age 12 and up to £4,000 for disabled children aged up to 17, available to around 2 million households from early 2017.

The Flexible Support Fund is available to be used by District Managers and work coaches to provide the local support that claimants may need to return to work, including additional provision to support claimants who may be impacted by the new levels of the benefit cap. This support can include upfront childcare costs, up to £175 per week for one child (up to a daily limit of £35) or £300 per week for two or more children (up to a daily limit of £60), for claimants who have found employment.