Question to the Department for Education:

To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what proportion of spending on the Early Learning for 2 year olds scheme is for non-working families.

Answered by Paul Waugh - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Education)

Since the introduction of the early learning for two-year-olds (EL2) entitlement the department has collected data on its uptake but does not break this data down by whether or not parents are in working families. Parents may be eligible for EL2 if they are in receipt of Universal Credit and have a household income of less than £15,400. Parents might also be eligible regardless of work status or income if their child is looked after, is in receipt of Disability Living Allowance or has an education, health and care plan.

Question to the Department for Education:

To ask the Secretary of State for Education, with reference to her speech to Ruskin College on 8 July 2026, what estimate her Department has made of the annual cost to the public purse of extending 30 hours free childcare eligibility to non-working parents.

Answered by Paul Waugh - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Education)

​As the last government set out when announcing the expansion of government funded childcare in 2023, this aimed to tackle the fact that ‘the employment rate and hours worked by parents, particularly mothers, drops after childbirth and persists until after their children reach school age’.

Access to childcare continues to be a key factor in helping parents to work. Official statistics from the 2025 Childcare and Early Years Parent survey highlight that around two thirds (66%) of mothers in families with children aged 0 to 4 years said that having reliable childcare helped them to work, and that in the absence of the working parents offer for 9 months to 2 year olds, 40% in receipt of the offer said that they would be working fewer hours.

However, we know that many of those who need and benefit from early education and childcare miss out. Children who attend high-quality early education and childcare between ages 2 and 4 on average perform better at every stage of school, with children from low-income families benefiting the most. Nearly 1.5 million children aged 9 months to school age are excluded from the full 30-hour entitlement because their parents do not meet the eligibility rules. Children in lower income areas face both fewer childcare places and fewer high-quality providers on their doorstep. Childcare is a key barrier to those on low incomes working more, with a disproportionate impact on women.

This is why the department is leading an Early Education and Childcare Review to improve the system so that it is simpler, fairer and focused on children, ensuring support reaches the families who need it most. Through this, as the former Secretary of State for Education set out, universal childcare is something towards which we should build.

Question to the Department for Education:

To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what discussions she has had with Cabinet colleagues on the expansion of the 30 hours free childcare entitlement to non-working parents.

Answered by Paul Waugh - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Education)

​As the last government set out when announcing the expansion of government funded childcare in 2023, this aimed to tackle the fact that ‘the employment rate and hours worked by parents, particularly mothers, drops after childbirth and persists until after their children reach school age’.

Access to childcare continues to be a key factor in helping parents to work. Official statistics from the 2025 Childcare and Early Years Parent survey highlight that around two thirds (66%) of mothers in families with children aged 0 to 4 years said that having reliable childcare helped them to work, and that in the absence of the working parents offer for 9 months to 2 year olds, 40% in receipt of the offer said that they would be working fewer hours.

However, we know that many of those who need and benefit from early education and childcare miss out. Children who attend high-quality early education and childcare between ages 2 and 4 on average perform better at every stage of school, with children from low-income families benefiting the most. Nearly 1.5 million children aged 9 months to school age are excluded from the full 30-hour entitlement because their parents do not meet the eligibility rules. Children in lower income areas face both fewer childcare places and fewer high-quality providers on their doorstep. Childcare is a key barrier to those on low incomes working more, with a disproportionate impact on women.

This is why the department is leading an Early Education and Childcare Review to improve the system so that it is simpler, fairer and focused on children, ensuring support reaches the families who need it most. Through this, as the former Secretary of State for Education set out, universal childcare is something towards which we should build.

Question to the Department for Education:

To ask the Secretary of State for Education, with reference to her speech to Ruskin College on 8 July 2026, whether the expansion of the 30 hours free childcare entitlement to non-working parents is government policy.

Answered by Paul Waugh - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Education)

​As the last government set out when announcing the expansion of government funded childcare in 2023, this aimed to tackle the fact that ‘the employment rate and hours worked by parents, particularly mothers, drops after childbirth and persists until after their children reach school age’.

Access to childcare continues to be a key factor in helping parents to work. Official statistics from the 2025 Childcare and Early Years Parent survey highlight that around two thirds (66%) of mothers in families with children aged 0 to 4 years said that having reliable childcare helped them to work, and that in the absence of the working parents offer for 9 months to 2 year olds, 40% in receipt of the offer said that they would be working fewer hours.

However, we know that many of those who need and benefit from early education and childcare miss out. Children who attend high-quality early education and childcare between ages 2 and 4 on average perform better at every stage of school, with children from low-income families benefiting the most. Nearly 1.5 million children aged 9 months to school age are excluded from the full 30-hour entitlement because their parents do not meet the eligibility rules. Children in lower income areas face both fewer childcare places and fewer high-quality providers on their doorstep. Childcare is a key barrier to those on low incomes working more, with a disproportionate impact on women.

This is why the department is leading an Early Education and Childcare Review to improve the system so that it is simpler, fairer and focused on children, ensuring support reaches the families who need it most. Through this, as the former Secretary of State for Education set out, universal childcare is something towards which we should build.

Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:

To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what proportion of work coach appointments with Universal Credit claimants are conducted a) in person, b) online and c) on the telephone.

Answered by Stephen Timms - Minister of State (Ministry of Housing Communities and Local Government) (Equalities)

The Department offers a range of appointment channels, including face-to-face, telephone and video appointments and will use the most appropriate channel based on the purpose of the appointment, the claimant’s individual circumstances and the support identified by their Work Coach.

Face-to-face support remains an important part of Universal Credit service delivery. Claimants are asked to attend face-to-face appointments with Work Coaches where this channel is considered most appropriate to their circumstances. However, all channels provide an opportunity for tailored support; ensuring claimants receive the assistance they need to progress their claim and optimise their labour market outcomes.

This is consistent with the Department’s wider commitment to ensuring individuals recieve support through the channel that best meets their needs. For example, the Department is increasing the proportion of face-to-face health assessments, while continuing to provide reasonable adjustments and alternative delivery channels, including home visits where appropriate, for people whose disability or health condition makes attendance difficult.

The proportion percentages for attended appointments for the most recent 12 weeks are 58.5% in person, 16.2% by video and 25.3% by phone.