Question to the HM Treasury:

To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, whether his Department has plans to increase the Tax Free Child Care cap in response to the rising cost of childcare.

The Government has no plans to increase the cap in Tax Free Childcare.

Tax Free Childcare (TFC) is a generous scheme which provides financial support for working parents with their childcare costs. For every £8 parents pay into their childcare account, the Government adds £2 up to a maximum of £2,000 in top up per year for each child aged up to 11, and up to £4,000 per disabled child until they’re 17.

In addition, all three- and four-year-olds can access 15 hours of free childcare per week, regardless of circumstance. Eligible working parents of three- and four-year-olds can also access an additional 15 hours of free childcare per week, also known as 30 hours free childcare. Moreover, Universal Credit (UC) claimants are able to claim up to 85% of their childcare costs.