Question to the HM Treasury:

To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, with reference to the rising cost of childcare and cost of living pressures facing working families, whether he has plans to increase the level of support available through the tax-free childcare scheme.

Tax Free Childcare 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.

The Government has no plans to change the amount of top-up provided through Tax-Free Childcare (TFC).