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747104

	registered interest
	date	30/06/2017
	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	1
	legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
	question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what assessment she has made of the effect of the apprenticeship levy on the budgets of non-maintained childcare and early education providers.
	tabling member constituency	Hampstead and Kilburn
	tabling member printed	Tulip Siddiq
	uin	2310
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 10/07/2017 answer text <p>The Apprenticeship Levy will be paid by all UK employers with an annual pay bill of over £3 million and is charged at 0.5% of an employer’s annual pay bill.</p><p>The Apprenticeship Levy supports our commitment to reaching 3 million apprenticeship starts in England by 2020. Employers in England who pay the levy will have an apprenticeship account. This is an online service that enables levy-paying employers to receive levy funds to spend on apprenticeships, manage their apprentices and pay their training provider.</p><p>It is for individual employers to calculate the impact of levy payments on their budgets.</p><p> </p><p>No employer that pays the levy will lose out if they take advantage of the opportunity to re-invest the money in high quality apprenticeship training.</p><p> </p><p>Guidance for employers on paying the levy can be found at: <a href="https://www.gov.uk/guidance/pay-apprenticeship-levy" target="_blank">https://www.gov.uk/guidance/pay-apprenticeship-levy</a>.</p> answering member constituency Guildford answering member printed Anne Milton question first answered 10/07/2017 16:49:31 answering member 1523 label Biography information for Anne Milton
	tabling member	4518 label Biography information for Tulip Siddiq

825733

	registered interest
	date	19/01/2018
	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	1
	legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
	question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what progress has been made on the roll-out of 30 hours of free childcare in Telford and Wrekin.
	tabling member constituency	Telford
	tabling member printed	Lucy Allan
	uin	123800
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 29/01/2018 answer text <p>The rollout of 30 hours free childcare has progressed well in Telford and Wrekin with 839 children reported to be taking up a 30 hours place, in November 2017. The local authority is receiving specialist support from our national delivery contractor to ensure progress continues as we move towards the summer term.</p> answering member constituency Guildford answering member printed Anne Milton question first answered 29/01/2018 17:40:54 answering member 1523 label Biography information for Anne Milton
	tabling member	4411 label Biography information for Lucy Allan

861930

	registered interest
	date	14/03/2018
	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	1
	legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
	question text	What assessment he has made of the effect of the Government’s policy on funded childcare on the financial viability of childcare settings.
	tabling member constituency	Ipswich
	tabling member printed	Sandy Martin
	uin	904432
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 19/03/2018 answer text <p>By 2019-20, we will be spending approximately £6 billion a year on childcare support, including £1 billion to deliver 30 hours of free childcare and pay the higher funding rates that were introduced in April 2017.</p><p> </p><p>These rates were based on our ‘Review of Childcare Costs’, which was described as thorough and wide ranging by the National Audit Office.</p><p> </p><p>We are providing tailored support to providers on business sustainability and continue to monitor the implementation of 30 hours of free childcare.</p> answering member constituency Guildford answering member printed Anne Milton question first answered 19/03/2018 16:58:00 answering member 1523 label Biography information for Anne Milton
	tabling member	4678 label Biography information for Sandy Martin

896546

	registered interest
	date	02/05/2018
	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	1
	legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
	question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what steps his Department is taking to support parents of children under the age of 5 with the costs of childcare who want to undertake (a) further and (b) higher education courses.
	tabling member constituency	Batley and Spen
	tabling member printed	Tracy Brabin
	uin	140836
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 09/05/2018 answer text <p>The Care to Learn scheme can help with childcare costs for eligible parents aged under 20 who meet Care to Learn residency criteria and are in receipt of publicly funded education or training. Care to Learn payments are not income assessed and a maximum amount that can be claimed is £175 per child per week in London and £160 per child per week elsewhere. Further details are available at: <a href="http://www.gov.uk/care-to-learn" target="_blank">www.gov.uk/care-to-learn</a>.</p><p> </p><p>For learners aged 19 and above, Learner Support is available to help those with a specific financial hardship that prevents them from taking part in learning. Colleges and providers have discretion to help learners meet costs such as childcare and travel.</p><p> </p><p>A Childcare Grant is available to full-time student parents in higher education using registered or approved childcare, so that childcare costs incurred while studying do not act as an additional barrier for lower income families accessing higher education. The grant helps with childcare costs for children under 15, or under 17 if they have special educational needs. The amount of Childcare Grant payable in 2018-19 will be based on 85 per cent of actual childcare costs, subject to a maximum grant of £164.70 per week for one child only or £282.36 per week for two or more children.</p><p> </p><p>Students are not entitled to receive a Childcare Grant if the student or their partner has elected to receive the childcare element of Working Tax Credit, the childcare element of Universal Credit, or is claiming support for childcare through the NHS bursary scheme.</p><p> </p><p>Students with children may also be able to receive the Parents' Learning Allowance to meet course related costs, and students with adult dependants may be able to receive an Adult Dependants Grant. The maximum amount of Parents Learning Allowance payable in 2018/19 will be £1,669 and the minimum £50. Further information can be found at: <a href="https://www.gov.uk/student-finance/extra-help" target="_blank">https://www.gov.uk/student-finance/extra-help</a>.</p><p> </p><p>All three and four year olds and the most disadvantaged two year olds are entitled to access 15 hours a week of early education.</p> answering member constituency Guildford answering member printed Anne Milton question first answered 09/05/2018 16:47:12 answering member 1523 label Biography information for Anne Milton
	tabling member	4588 label Biography information for Tracy Brabin

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

1453440

	registered interest
	date	22/03/2022
	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 ensure families have adequate access to early years support.
	tabling member printed	Lord McCrea of Magherafelt and Cookstown
	uin	HL7209
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 05/04/2022 answer text <p>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: <a href="https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/family-hubs-and-start-for-life-package-methodology-for-pre-selecting-local-authorities" target="_blank">https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/family-hubs-and-start-for-life-package-methodology-for-pre-selecting-local-authorities</a>.</p><p>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.</p><p>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.</p><p>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.</p><p>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.</p><p>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.</p> answering member printed Baroness Barran question first answered 05/04/2022 12:19:46 answering member 4703 label Biography information for Baroness Barran
	tabling member	655 label Biography information for Lord McCrea of Magherafelt and Cookstown