Childcare: Penistone and Stocksbridge

(asked on 27th October 2022) - View Source

Question to the Department for Education:

To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what proportion of income parents of children aged (a) under 5 and (b) 5-11 spend each year on average on childcare including holiday clubs in the Penistone and Stocksbridge constituency.


Answered by
Claire Coutinho Portrait
Claire Coutinho
Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero
This question was answered on 4th November 2022

The department does not hold the data requested. However, the most recent Childcare and Early Years Survey of Parents provides some data on parental spend on childcare. The results of this survey are available at: https://www.explore-education-statistics.service.gov.uk/find-statistics/childcare-and-early-years-survey-of-parents/2021.

The survey shows the average cost of childcare per week for parents of 0 to 14-year-old children by region. It also shows the cost by day for school-aged children during holiday periods. This data is not available at local authority or constituency level.

The department is aware that childcare is a key concern for parents and that is why we are committed to improving the cost, choice, and availability of childcare. We continue to look at ways to make childcare more affordable and to encourage families to use the government-funded support they are entitled to.

The department has spent over £3.5 billion in each of the past three years on early education entitlements and continues to support families with the cost of childcare through Tax-Free Childcare and Universal Credit.

In the Autumn Budget and Spending Review 2021, the department also announced it is investing over £200 million a year in the Holiday Activities and Food programme, which provides enriching activities and healthy meals for disadvantaged children during school holidays.

In July, the department announced further measures to increase take-up of childcare support and reduce the costs and bureaucracy facing providers. This included a new £1.2 million campaign via the childcare choices website to ensure every parent knows about the government funded support they are eligible for. Childcare Choices is available at: https://www.childcarechoices.gov.uk.

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