Last week, the Government announced an initial funding uplift of £204 million for local authorities towards childcare costs, rising to £288 million in 2024-25, as part of a wide-ranging package of reforms.
In his Spring Budget earlier this year, the Chancellor pledged reforms for the childcare sector, including extending 30 hours of free childcare per week to all under four-year-olds by 2025, paying Universal Credit childcare support upfront rather than in arrears, and substantially uplifting the hourly funding rate paid to childcare providers.
It has now been confirmed that childcare providers in Skipton and Ripon will receive a 6.8% increase to their hourly childcare payments for children aged three to four and a 32.5% increase for two-year-olds.
Over £200 million will be distributed to local authorities through the Early Years Supplementary Grant from September, rising to an additional £288 million in 2024-25 though the dedicated schools grant, as the Government works to reform the sector and enable parents to return to work.
Information on the childcare offers that are available to parents can be found at https://www.childcarechoices.gov.uk/
