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1490670

	registered interest
	date	19/07/2022
	answering body	Treasury
	answering dept id	14
	answering dept short name	Treasury
	answering dept sort name	Treasury
	hansard heading	Children: Day Care
	house id	1
	legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
	question text	To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, if he will publish the average annual costs to Government of (a) tax free childcare, (b) the universal 15 free hours entitlement, (c) the extended 30 hours entitlement, (d) the childcare support element of universal credit, (e) employer supported vouchers and (f) other expenditure on childcare.
	tabling member constituency	Harborough
	tabling member printed	Neil O'Brien
	uin	39980
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 25/07/2022 answer text <p>An estimated 1.3 million families are eligible for Tax Free Childcare (TFC). The TFC Official Statistics show that 384,000 families (30%) used TFC in March 2022. 512,000 families (39%) used TFC at some point in 2021-22. TFC spend for the financial year 2021-22 was £411.3 million.</p><p>In 2022-23, the Department for Education is planning to spend approximately £2.3 million for the universal entitlement for all three and four year olds, and approximately £900 million for the extended entitlement for working parents of three and four year olds (also known as 30 hours free childcare). The Department for Education is also planning to spend approximately £400 million for the 15 hours free early education entitlement for disadvantaged two year olds, approximately £52 million on supplementary funding for Maintained Nursery Schools, approximately £39 million for Early Years Pupil Premium, and approximately £18 million for the Disability Access Fund.</p><p>In January 2022, 92% of all three and four year olds were receiving some form of funded early education (1.2 million children in total), and 384,100 eligible three and four year olds were registered for a 30 hours place in January 2022.</p><p>In the latest month for which data is available (February 2022) 119,900 Universal Credit (UC) households were paid the UC childcare cost element. Overall, 13% of households on UC with all parents earning and children aged between 0 to 16 were paid the childcare element in February 2022. Spending on the Universal Credit childcare element is calculated as part of the total Universal Credit spend and separate figures are not available.</p><p>There were an estimated 470,000 recipients of all forms of Employer Supported childcare in 2021-22. There is no estimate of the eligible population. Spend on all forms of Employer Supported childcare is estimated to be £460 million in 2020-21 and forecast to be £340m in 2021-22. Employer Supported Childcare is closed to new entrants.</p> answering member constituency Havant answering member printed Alan Mak grouped question UIN 39981 question first answered 25/07/2022 09:09:28 answering member 4484 label Biography information for Alan Mak
	tabling member	4679 label Biography information for Neil O'Brien

1490671

	registered interest
	date	19/07/2022
	answering body	Treasury
	answering dept id	14
	answering dept short name	Treasury
	answering dept sort name	Treasury
	hansard heading	Children: Day Care
	house id	1
	legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
	question text	To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, if he will make an estimate of the take-up, as a proportion of eligibility, of (a) tax-free childcare, (b) the universal entitlement to 15 hours of free childcare, (c) the extended entitlement to 30 hours of free childcare, (d) the childcare element of universal credit and (e) employer supported childcare vouchers.
	tabling member constituency	Harborough
	tabling member printed	Neil O'Brien
	uin	39981
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 25/07/2022 answer text <p>An estimated 1.3 million families are eligible for Tax Free Childcare (TFC). The TFC Official Statistics show that 384,000 families (30%) used TFC in March 2022. 512,000 families (39%) used TFC at some point in 2021-22. TFC spend for the financial year 2021-22 was £411.3 million.</p><p>In 2022-23, the Department for Education is planning to spend approximately £2.3 million for the universal entitlement for all three and four year olds, and approximately £900 million for the extended entitlement for working parents of three and four year olds (also known as 30 hours free childcare). The Department for Education is also planning to spend approximately £400 million for the 15 hours free early education entitlement for disadvantaged two year olds, approximately £52 million on supplementary funding for Maintained Nursery Schools, approximately £39 million for Early Years Pupil Premium, and approximately £18 million for the Disability Access Fund.</p><p>In January 2022, 92% of all three and four year olds were receiving some form of funded early education (1.2 million children in total), and 384,100 eligible three and four year olds were registered for a 30 hours place in January 2022.</p><p>In the latest month for which data is available (February 2022) 119,900 Universal Credit (UC) households were paid the UC childcare cost element. Overall, 13% of households on UC with all parents earning and children aged between 0 to 16 were paid the childcare element in February 2022. Spending on the Universal Credit childcare element is calculated as part of the total Universal Credit spend and separate figures are not available.</p><p>There were an estimated 470,000 recipients of all forms of Employer Supported childcare in 2021-22. There is no estimate of the eligible population. Spend on all forms of Employer Supported childcare is estimated to be £460 million in 2020-21 and forecast to be £340m in 2021-22. Employer Supported Childcare is closed to new entrants.</p> answering member constituency Havant answering member printed Alan Mak grouped question UIN 39980 question first answered 25/07/2022 09:09:29 answering member 4484 label Biography information for Alan Mak
	tabling member	4679 label Biography information for Neil O'Brien

1491690

	registered interest
	date	21/07/2022
	answering body	Treasury
	answering dept id	14
	answering dept short name	Treasury
	answering dept sort name	Treasury
	hansard heading	Children: Day Care
	house id	1
	legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
	question text	To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, whether his Department has made an assessment of the impact of levels of nursery care costs on economic productivity and output.
	tabling member constituency	Slough
	tabling member printed	Mr Tanmanjeet Singh Dhesi
	uin	42181
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 05/09/2022 answer text <p>The government recognises the importance of families being able to access affordable childcare, including nursery care, in allowing parents to work.</p><p> </p><p>The government offers a range of support for parents to help with childcare costs, including access to early education through the Department for Education’s free hours entitlements, and financial support with childcare through Tax-Free Childcare (TFC) and Universal Credit (UC) childcare offers.</p><p> </p><p>In addition to this support, the government remains committed to driving down childcare costs for providers and parents. In July, it announced a series of measures to achieve this including consulting on increasing the number of children that can be looked after by each staff member in early years settings; taking action to grow the childminder market; reforming the way early years funding is distributed in England; and driving a renewed campaign to increase take-up of UC Childcare and TFC.</p> answering member constituency Havant answering member printed Alan Mak question first answered 05/09/2022 07:27:52 answering member 4484 label Biography information for Alan Mak
	tabling member	4638 label Biography information for Mr Tanmanjeet Singh Dhesi

1128822

	registered interest
	date	03/06/2019
	answering body	Wales Office
	answering dept id	28
	answering dept short name	Wales
	answering dept sort name	Wales
	hansard heading	Children: Day Care
	house id	1
	legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
	question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Wales, whether he has taken steps to enable English local authorities to claim back funding for childcare places for children living in England who access free childcare in Wales; and if he will make a statement .
	tabling member constituency	Ludlow
	tabling member printed	Mr Philip Dunne
	uin	259118
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 11/06/2019 answer text <p>Local authorities have a statutory duty to secure free early education in their area for children who are eligible. Education and the entitlement to free childcare for pre-school children in Wales is devolved to the National Assembly for Wales, and I will be raising this issue with the Welsh Government Minister for Health and Social Services.</p> answering member constituency Vale of Glamorgan answering member printed Alun Cairns question first answered 11/06/2019 09:32:34 answering member 4086 label Biography information for Alun Cairns
	tabling member	1542 label Biography information for Philip Dunne

1128824

	registered interest
	date	03/06/2019
	answering body	Wales Office
	answering dept id	28
	answering dept short name	Wales
	answering dept sort name	Wales
	hansard heading	Children: Day Care
	house id	1
	legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
	question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Wales, what estimate he has made of the number of children living in (a) Wales accessing free childcare entitlement in England and (b) England accessing free childcare entitlement in Wales.
	tabling member constituency	Ludlow
	tabling member printed	Mr Philip Dunne
	uin	259119
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 11/06/2019 answer text <p>As of January 2018, there were an estimated 495 children resident in Wales accessing free childcare entitlements of up to 15 hours a week in England. The provision of free childcare entitlements in Wales is devolved to the National Assembly for Wales, and as such the UK Government does not hold this information.</p> answering member constituency Vale of Glamorgan answering member printed Alun Cairns question first answered 11/06/2019 09:33:47 answering member 4086 label Biography information for Alun Cairns
	tabling member	1542 label Biography information for Philip Dunne

1356049

	registered interest
	date	15/09/2021
	answering body	Department for Education
	answering dept id	60
	answering dept short name	Education
	answering dept sort name	Education
	hansard heading	Children: Day Care
	house id	2
	legislature	25277 pref label House of Lords
	question text	To ask Her Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the (1) affordability, and (2) availability, of childcare.
	tabling member printed	Lord Storey
	uin	HL2759
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 23/09/2021 answer text <p>The government is committed to supporting families with the cost of childcare, which is why the government has made an unprecedented investment in childcare over the past decade.</p><p>We have spent over £3.5 billion in each of the past three years on our early education entitlements and the government continues to support families with their childcare costs. The universal 15 hours entitlement, available for every three and four year old, can save parents up to £2,500 per year, and eligible working parents can apply for an additional 15 hours free childcare which can save them up to £5,000 if they use the full 30 hours. 30 hours free childcare was introduced in England in September 2017 and is an entitlement for working parents of three and four year olds, benefitting nearly 330,000 in January 2021.</p><p>In addition to the free early education entitlements, the government offers Tax-Free Childcare for children from 0-11 years old, or up to 16 if disabled. This scheme means that for every £8 parents pay their provider via an online account, the government will pay £2 – up to a maximum contribution of £2,000 per child each year, or £4,000 if disabled. 308,000 families used Tax-Free Childcare for 364,000 children in June 2021.</p><p>Parents may also benefit from Universal Credit. Working parents on a low income can get up to 85% of their childcare costs for children under 16 reimbursed through Universal Credit Childcare. This is subject to a monthly limit of £646 for one child or £1,108 for two or more children, payable in arrears.</p><p>Last November, my right hon. Friend, the Chancellor of the Exchequer, announced a £44 million investment for 2021 to 2022, for local authorities to increase hourly rates paid to childcare providers for the government’s free childcare entitlement offers.</p><p>With regard to the availability of childcare, national data published by Ofsted shows that there were 72,000 childcare providers registered with them on 31 March 2021, a dip of 4%, or 3,300, since 31 August 2020. The data also shows that of that number, 2,800 were childminders or home child carers and not nurseries. Further information is available at: <a href="https://www.gov.uk/government/statistics/childcare-providers-and-inspections-as-at-31-march-2021" target="_blank">https://www.gov.uk/government/statistics/childcare-providers-and-inspections-as-at-31-march-2021</a>.</p><p>That data also shows that numbers of ‘childcare settings on non-domestic premises’, which is the Ofsted description of nurseries which are not based in schools, have remained fairly stable over time, with a drop of just 1% since 31 August 2015 and a decrease of 2%, or 400, between 31 August 2020 and 31 March 2021.</p><p>Ofsted data currently shows that the number of places available to parents seeking childcare has remained broadly stable since August 2015. Additionally, the majority of eligible children aged two, three and four, have continued to access free childcare, despite the challenges faced throughout the COVID-19 outbreak. In a recent survey by Ipsos MORI in July 2021, only 6% of parents whose child was not receiving formal childcare said they would like to use formal childcare but have not been able to find a suitable provider. This is only approximately 2% of all parents.</p> answering member printed Baroness Barran question first answered 23/09/2021 09:53:01 answering member 4703 label Biography information for Baroness Barran
	tabling member	4238 label Biography information for Lord Storey

1362425

	registered interest
	date	21/10/2021
	answering body	Department for Education
	answering dept id	60
	answering dept short name	Education
	answering dept sort name	Education
	hansard heading	Children: Day Care
	house id	2
	legislature	25277 pref label House of Lords
	question text	To ask Her Majesty's Government what plans they have to increase the amount of subsidised childcare for children aged between three and four years old from 570 to 720 hours per year to cover the duration of school holidays
	tabling member printed	Lord Watson of Invergowrie
	uin	HL3326
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 05/11/2021 answer text <p>All three and four year olds in England are eligible for 15 hours per week of free early education over 38 weeks, equivalent to 570 hours per year. This entitlement can be used at a range of early years providers, including over the school holidays. Working parents who earn at least the equivalent of 16 hours a week at National Minimum/Living Wage and under £100,000 per year can claim an additional 15 hours, also known as 30 hours free childcare. The government currently has no plans to extend these schemes.</p><p>Outside of the free early education entitlements, working parents can benefit from the Tax-Free Childcare scheme, which can help them save 20% of their childcare costs, worth up to £2,000 per year for children under 12, or up to £4,000 for those under 17 if their child is disabled.</p><p>Working parents on a low income can also benefit from up to 85% of their childcare costs being reimbursed through Universal Credit Childcare, up to a total of £646 for one child, or up to £1,108 for two or more children.</p> answering member printed Baroness Barran question first answered 05/11/2021 13:43:32 answering member 4703 label Biography information for Baroness Barran
	tabling member	1241 label Biography information for Lord Watson of Invergowrie

1362426

	registered interest
	date	21/10/2021
	answering body	Department for Education
	answering dept id	60
	answering dept short name	Education
	answering dept sort name	Education
	hansard heading	Children: Day Care
	house id	2
	legislature	25277 pref label House of Lords
	question text	To ask Her Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the benefits of investing in flexible childcare arrangements on the annual earnings of working mothers.
	tabling member printed	Lord Watson of Invergowrie
	uin	HL3327
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 05/11/2021 answer text <p>All three and four year olds in England are entitled to 15 hours of free childcare each week, providing children with high-quality early education and helping parents to return to work. Disadvantaged families in England are also eligible for 15 hours of free early education a week for their two year old children. In January 2021, 87% of all three year olds and 93% of all four year olds, including those in a reception place, were registered for some funded early education. <br> <br> 30 hours of free childcare was introduced in England in September 2017 and is an entitlement for working parents of three and four year olds, benefitting around 330,000 children in January 2021. The entitlement aims to help working parents, including mothers, with the costs of childcare so they can take up paid work if they want to or can work additional hours.</p><p>The department’s 2019 parent survey highlights the impact 30 hours can have on parents’ working patterns, with 33% of parents saying that in the absence of 30 hours childcare they would be working fewer hours and the majority of parents (70%) reporting that 30 hours of childcare had given them more flexibility in the hours they could work. Findings also showed that a small but notable proportion of mothers reported that accessing 30 hours had led them to enter work (6%) or increase their hours (17%). The 2019 parent survey can be found here: <a href="https://www.gov.uk/government/statistics/childcare-and-early-years-survey-of-parents-2019" target="_blank">https://www.gov.uk/government/statistics/childcare-and-early-years-survey-of-parents-2019</a>.</p><p>All of the department’s entitlements provide free early education for parents across 38 weeks of the year. They can also be made more flexible by being “stretched” if parents wish to use fewer hours over more weeks and this is an option their childcare provider offers.</p><p>An independent evaluation into the national roll out of the government’s 30 hours entitlements found that 26% of mothers reported they had been able to increase their working hours and 15% stated they would not be working without the extended hours. These effects were stronger for lower income families<em>. </em>Furthermore, most providers delivering the extended hours (over 90%) reported that they offered parents a free choice or at least some choice in when they took the extended hours. The evaluation can be found here: <a href="https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/740168/Evaluation_of_national_rollout_of_30_hours_free-childcare.pdf" target="_blank">https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/740168/Evaluation_of_national_rollout_of_30_hours_free-childcare.pdf</a>.</p><p>We recognise that the needs of many parents will have changed dramatically in line with the reopening of the economy and the department continues to investigate how we can improve these experiences for parents.</p> answering member printed Baroness Barran question first answered 05/11/2021 13:45:54 answering member 4703 label Biography information for Baroness Barran
	tabling member	1241 label Biography information for Lord Watson of Invergowrie

1382054

	registered interest
	date	24/11/2021
	answering body	Department for Education
	answering dept id	60
	answering dept short name	Education
	answering dept sort name	Education
	hansard heading	Children: Day Care
	house id	2
	legislature	25277 pref label House of Lords
	question text	To ask Her Majesty's Government what plans they have to extend the 30 hours funded childcare policy.
	tabling member printed	Lord Taylor of Warwick
	uin	HL4410
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 08/12/2021 answer text <p>30 hours free childcare is available to working parents of 3 and 4 year olds, helping them with the cost of childcare and supporting parents back into work, or to work more hours if they wish to. To be eligible, parents have to earn the equivalent of at least 16 hours a week at national minimum/living wage (for parents aged over 23, this is equivalent to just over £7,400 per year), and under £100,000 per year. The government currently has no plans to extend this scheme.</p><p>In addition to the 30 hours free childcare scheme, all 3 and 4 year olds, as well as some disadvantaged 2 year olds, in England are eligible for 15 hours free childcare. This provides them with high-quality early education and helping prepare them for school.</p><p>The government also offers Tax-Free Childcare, which contributes 20% towards childcare costs, and can save eligible working parents up to £2,000 for children aged 0-11, or up to £4,000 for disabled children aged 0-16.</p><p>For working parents on a low income, Universal Credit can reimburse up to 85% of childcare costs, up to a monthly limit of £646 for one child or £1108 for 2 or more children.</p><p> </p> answering member printed Baroness Barran question first answered 08/12/2021 17:14:32 answering member 4703 label Biography information for Baroness Barran
	tabling member	1796 label Biography information for Lord Taylor of Warwick

1384453

	registered interest
	date	02/12/2021
	answering body	Department for Education
	answering dept id	60
	answering dept short name	Education
	answering dept sort name	Education
	hansard heading	Children: Day Care
	house id	2
	legislature	25277 pref label House of Lords
	question text	To ask Her Majesty's Government what steps they will take to enable disadvantaged children to benefit from early education and childcare; and what plans they have, if any, to extend the 30 hours per week entitlement to all children aged three to four.
	tabling member printed	The Earl of Clancarty
	uin	HL4636
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 13/12/2021 answer text <p>The department is committed to providing children with the best start in life and supporting disadvantaged and vulnerable children by investing in high quality early education and local services.</p><p>The department has invested £180 million on recovery programmes to raise quality in early education, including improving early language, training early years staff to support the very youngest children, and supporting parents with home learning.</p><p>We have also announced £300 million to transform services for parents, babies, carers, and children in half of local authorities in England. This is a significant investment that will have wide reach across the country and improve outcomes for thousands of babies, children, carers and families. As part of this £300 million, we have announced a further £82 million to create a network of family hubs in 75 areas.</p><p>30 hours free childcare is available to working parents of three- and four-year-olds, helping them with the cost of childcare and supporting parents back into work or to work more hours. To be eligible, parents must earn the equivalent of at least 16 hours a week at national minimum or living wage (for parents aged over 23, this is equivalent to just over £7,400 per year), and under £100,000 per year. The government currently has no plans to extend this scheme.</p><p>Additionally in England, all three- and four-year-olds, and some disadvantaged two-year-olds, are eligible for 15 hours free childcare. This provides them with high-quality early education, helping prepare them for school.</p><p>The early years pupil premium gives providers additional funding (up to £302 per eligible child per year) for disadvantaged three- and four-year-olds if the child receives the universal 15 hours entitlement and they meet the eligibility criteria. Early years providers are responsible for identifying eligible children so that local authorities can provide the appropriate funding.</p> answering member printed Baroness Barran question first answered 13/12/2021 13:52:10 answering member 4703 label Biography information for Baroness Barran
	tabling member	3391 label Biography information for The Earl of Clancarty