LONDON DAILY ARCHIVE
Childcare Boost: £400 Million Allocated to Expand Free Scheme in England
The UK government plans to invest £400 million to extend free childcare for working parents in England starting in April.
29 November 2023 · 08:24 UTC
Childcare providers welcomed the increase but warned that the demand might soon exceed the available places. In a recent Budget, Chancellor Jeremy Hunt revealed that the scheme providing 30 free hours of childcare weekly would include younger children, aiming to help an additional 60,000 parents return to work.
Currently, working parents with children aged three and four can get 30 hours of funded childcare per week. This will extend to 15 hours for parents of two-year-olds in April and from September, to children who are nine months and older, eventually rising to 30 hours from September 2025. Eligibility criteria require parents to earn at least the equivalent of 16 hours a week at National Living Wage levels.
Funding increases from April 2024 will match rises in the National Living Wage. Past September, hourly funding for three and four-year-olds increased from £5.29 to £5.62 and from £6.00 to £7.95 for two-year-olds.
Education Secretary Gillian Keegan says this move ensures parents don't have to choose between their career and family. However, concerns persist in the childcare sector about whether funding will keep up with the demand for places.
A report by the Education Select Committee highlighted underfunding and a struggle to provide sufficient places. Committee chair Robin Walker underscored the need for funding rates to reflect the true cost of providing quality childcare.
Nicola Fleury from Kidzrus Nursery Group expressed concerns about reaching capacity, while Neil Leitch from the Early Years Alliance indicated the funding increase might still be inadequate for the long-term success of the 30-hours policy, questioning its practicality in the coming months.