Question to the HM Treasury:

To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, what assessment her Department has made on the effectiveness of the system for applying for tax-free childcare.

Tax-Free Childcare (TFC) provides financial support for eligible working parents in paying their childcare costs. For every £8 parents pay into their childcare account, the government adds £2.

It takes around 20 minutes for an eligible customer to open an online account. Accounts can be opened at any time of the year and can be used straight away. Money can be deposited at any time and used when needed. Any unused money that is deposited can be simply withdrawn at any time.

Approved or registered childcare providers can sign up online to accept TFC. The sign-up process takes around 10 minutes.