Question to the HM Treasury:

To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, whether he has plans to increase the level of funding available to key workers for childcare to meet the increased costs of that care as a result of social distancing measures during the covid-19 outbreak.

Parents continue to have access to the Government’s childcare offers during the Covid-19 crisis. This includes support through Universal Credit or Working Tax Credit worth up to 85% and 70% of childcare costs respectively, up to 30 hours of free childcare a week for 3 and 4-year-olds, and up to £2,000 per year of support through Tax Free Childcare.

Schools also continue to offer places to the children of key workers, as they have done since the end of March.

To ensure key workers working additional hours do not lose their entitlement to free hours or Tax Free Childcare, for this tax year we are temporarily relaxing the maximum income threshold for those parents.