PHOTO: Kate on her recent visit to Busy Bees Nursery in Burton
- The cost of childcare can be a real struggle for parents and can become a barrier to work, with too many parents being held back from returning to the workplace.
- That is why the Government is delivering the largest ever expansion of free childcare, expanding 30 free hours of childcare for working parents from nine months old up to when they start school. With the rollout beginning on 1 April 2024, eligible working parents of two-year-olds can now access 15 hours of free childcare per week.
- There are 1,519 estimated number of families with a child aged 9 months to 2-years-old in Burton and Uttoxeter who could benefit from the expanded rollout.
Kate Kniveton, Member of Parliament for Burton and Uttoxeter, has welcomed the roll-out of the largest ever expansion of childcare in England’s history with eligible working parents of two-year-olds now able to access 15 hours of free childcare per week.
Currently, working families in England with children aged three to four-years-old are eligible for 30 hours of free childcare for 38 weeks of the year – a total of 1,140 hours per year.
However, the Government is committed to securing a better deal for hard-working families across the country, so parents feel empowered to make the choice that is best for them and their family – whether that be returning to work or staying at home to raise their children.
That is why from 1 April, the Government has extended the childcare package so that eligible working parents of two-year-olds can now access 15 hours of childcare support per week. In Burton and Uttoxeter, there are an estimated 1,519 families with a child aged 9 months to 2-years-old in Burton and Uttoxeter who could benefit from the expanded rollout.
But this is just phase one. From September 2024, working parents with children from the age of nine months until they start school will be able to benefit from 15 hours of free childcare per week. This will be expanded again in September 2025 with working parents of children under the age of five able to benefit from 30 hours free childcare per week.
In addition to delivering the largest expansion of childcare in England’s history, 96 per cent of early education providers are now rated good or outstanding – up from just 68 per cent in 2010, giving parents a massive confidence boost in the standards of this provision.
Commenting, Kate Kniveton MP said:
“Too many families in Burton and Uttoxeter are held back from returning to work once they have had children because the cost of childcare is too high.
“But the Government is putting an end to this, and eligible parents of two-year-olds are now able to access 15 hours of government-funded childcare a week, with the expansion to go further this year and next, empowering parents to return to work whilst raising a family.
“I know this will make a big difference to families locally and help children get the best start in life.”
Commenting, Secretary of State for Education Gillian Keegan, said:
“This government is taking long term decisions to give working families a brighter future, which is why we are making the largest ever investment in childcare in England’s history.
“From April, well over one hundred thousand more parents will be benefitting from our expanded offer – and next year, hard-working parents with children from nine months old up to when they start school will get a full 30 hours – saving parents £6,900 a year.
“This progress would be destroyed by Labour who have no plan and would take us back to square one by refusing to commit to 30 hours of free childcare, risking the futures of thousands of young people across the country.”
