Question to the Department for Education:

To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what estimate he has made of the number of two-year olds in Coventry who have parents in receipt of universal credit and are eligible for 15 hours of free childcare.

As of January 2018, the number of families in Coventry who are taking up the free early education entitlement for two-year-olds was 1,180. This shows a take-up rate of 63% in Coventry of those eligible for this support.

Once Universal Credit has been rolled out, families who are claiming Universal Credit and have net earned income equivalent of £15,400 a year and below will be eligible for 15 hours free childcare for 2 year olds.

UC is one of a number of eligibility criteria for the two-year-old entitlement, which includes receipt of certain benefits; children looked after by a local authority; children who have left care; families in receipt of Disability Living Allowance or children with special educational needs or an Education and Health Care plan.