Question to the HM Treasury:

To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, with reference to the oral contribution of the Economic Secretary to the Treasury on 15 January 2018, Official Report, column WH244, on Childcare Vouchers, whether parents who are not eligible for tax-free childcare but were claiming childcare vouchers, will become eligible to claim for tax-free childcare if they change their employer after 31 March 2018, and will no longer be entitled to claim childcare vouchers.

Whereas currently around 600,000 families are in receipt of childcare vouchers, we estimate that 1.5 million families with childcare costs will be eligible for Tax-free Childcare.

Parents in receipt of childcare vouchers will be able to continue to claim vouchers when the scheme closes to new entrants in April 2018, whilst they work for the same employer and that employer continues to offer them.

If they switch employer, they will be eligible for Tax-free childcare if they have a child under the age of 12 and they and their partner, if they have one, each earn at least the equivalent of the National Living Wage for 16 hours a week and no more than £100,000 a year.

We do not hold information on how many parents in receipt of vouchers are expected to switch employers.

As of 19 January 2018, the helpline had received 769,015 calls from parents.