Question to the HM Treasury:

To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, what estimate he has made of the total amount spent on childcare in England (a) from all sources and (b) from the public purse in each of the last five years.

The Government has spent over £4 billion each year for the last five years on childcare in the United Kingdom through childcare offers led by the Department for Education and Tax-Free Childcare and Employer Support Childcare. This £4 billion is on top of support for childcare paid to Universal Credit and Working Tax Credits claimants, though these elements are calculated as part of the total Universal Credit and tax credit spend respectively and separate figures are not available.

At SR21, my right hon. Friend, the Chancellor of the Exchequer, announced an uplift to the hourly rates to be paid to early years providers to deliver the government’s free hours offers, and details of the £160 million for 2022 to 2023 have recently been announced by the Department for Education. Additionally, SR21 reaffirmed £150 million to be spent on the training of early years staff to support children’s learning and development, as part of the £1.4 billion Education Recovery Programme. Demonstrating the Government’s ongoing commitment to high-quality early years education, childcare and family services.