Question to the Department for Education:

To ask Her Majesty's Government what steps they will take to ensure families have adequate access to early years support.

The government is investing £300 million to transform family help services in 75 local authorities. This includes funding for Family Hubs, parenting programmes and Start for Life services. We announced the 75 eligible local authorities on the 2 April 2022. The 75 local authorities, and the methodology used to select them can be found here: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/family-hubs-and-start-for-life-package-methodology-for-pre-selecting-local-authorities.

The government is committed to ensuring affordable access to childcare. Our current range of childcare offers includes 15 hours free early education for all three and four-year-olds, regardless of parental income or working status. This helps children to develop social skills and prepare them for school, regardless of their background.

In 2013, this offer was extended to the most disadvantaged two-year-olds, providing a developmental boost to disadvantaged children who are less likely to use formal childcare, but who stand to benefit from it the most.

In 2017, we introduced 30 hours free childcare for working parents of three and four-year-olds. To be eligible for this, a lone parent must earn from just over £7,400 a year, and a couple, where both parents are working, must earn from just over £14,800 per year, to access 30 hours. This can save parents over £6,000 per year.

The department has also introduced tax-free childcare, which is available for working parents of children aged 0-11 (or up to 16 if their child is disabled), with the same income thresholds as 30 hours free childcare. This scheme can save parents up to £2,000 per year (or up to £4,000 if their child is disabled) and can be used alongside 30 hours free childcare.

Working parents on Universal Credit may also be eligible for help with up to 85% of their childcare costs through the childcare element of Universal Credit. This is subject to a monthly limit of £646 for one child or £1,108 for two or more children aged 0-16.