Written question asked by Helen Hayes (Labour) on Thursday, 16 March 2023, in the House of Commons. It was due for an answer on Tuesday, 21 March 2023 (named day). It was answered by Claire Coutinho (Conservative) on Tuesday, 21 March 2023 on behalf of the Department for Education.
Childcare: Fees and Charges
- Question
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To ask the Secretary of State for Education, with reference to the expanded free childcare hours offer announced in the Spring Budget 2023, HC 1183 published on 15 March 2023, whether her Department has undertaken modelling of the number of children included in that offer whose parents or guardians are likely to take up the offer in each of (a) 2024 and (b) 2025, broken down by age.
- Answer
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In the 2023 Spring Budget, the government announced a number of transformative reforms to childcare for parents, children and the economy.
By 2027/28, the government will expect to be spending in excess of £8 billion a year on free hours and early education, helping working families with their childcare costs. This announcement represents the largest ever investment in childcare in England.
In future, working parents will be able to access 30 hours of free childcare a week, for 38 weeks a year, from the point their child is 9 months to when their child starts school. This offer will be rolled out in full from September 2025. The department is ensuring a phased implementation of the expansion to the 30 hours offer to allow the market to develop the necessary capacity, and we will work closely with the sector to develop plans to grow, develop and support the workforce.
Eligibility estimates for the free early education entitlements are explained in the methodology of the ‘Education provision: children under 5 years of age’ under ‘Data Quality’. This can be accessed here: https://explore-education-statistics.service.gov.uk/methodology/education-provision-children-under-5-years-of-age-methodology.
Further details will be provided in due course.
Secondary information
- Type
- Written question
- Reference
- 167192
- Session
- 2022-23
- Related items
- Subjects
- Children Childcare Fees and charges Guardianship Parents Budget March 2023
- Contains statistics
- Yes
- Link
- View this Written question on www.parliament.uk
Librarians' tools
- Timestamp
- 2023-03-21 18:18:10 +0000
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- http://data.parliament.uk/writtenparliamentaryquestion/commons/2022-23/167192
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