The rollout of the largest ever expansion of childcare entitlements in the UK’s history has begun, following the Chancellor’s announcement of the provisions in his Spring Budget last year.
At the heart of the expansion is flexibility for families, whether it’s offering quality childcare out of school hours or making sure there are more early years places where they’re needed most.
England has some of the highest quality childcare provision in the world, with 96 per cent of early years settings rated by Ofsted as good or outstanding. However, childcare is also one of the biggest costs facing working families today, which is why the Government is making the largest investment by any UK government in history, saving working parents up to £6,500 a year by doubling investment in childcare over the next few years to around £8 billion every year.
Regulations were laid down in December which came into force on the 1st January, providing for the phased rollout of the expanded entitlements.
From 1st April 2024, eligible working parents will be able to access 15 hours of free childcare per week from the term they turn two. From 1st September 2024, 15 hours will also be available to children of eligible working parents from the term after they turn nine months. From 1st September 2025, eligible working parents will be able to access 30 hours of free childcare per week, over 38 weeks of the year, from the term after their child turns nine months old until they start school.
Parents can now apply for their 15 hours childcare for their two-year-old, and have until 31st March 2024 to apply for a code, with the best window to apply between mid-January and the end of February. Further information about the support available to parents can be found at https://www.childcarechoices.gov.uk/.
To be eligible for new offers, parents will need to meet the conditions relating to paid work, which can be found at https://www.gov.uk/check-eligible-free-childcare-if-youre-working.
Julian Smith said, “Ensuring parents have access to top quality childcare is a vital component of the government’s support for families, as well as helping more people into work and growing the economy.
“This massive expansion of childcare entitlements is only possible thanks to the tough decisions taken by this government, easing the burden on working parents and ensuring that children have the best possible start in life.
“I’m grateful to my ministerial colleagues for their longstanding efforts on this matter, and to the hard-working childcare providers, childminders and staff who have delivered one of the best childcare systems in the world.”
