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<p>The department recognises that families and early years providers across the country
are facing financial pressures. That is why we have spent more than £20 billion over
the past five years to support families with the cost of childcare. Families across
the country, including parents and carers in Portsmouth South constituency, are entitled
to government support to help families with the cost of childcare.</p><p>The government
has doubled the entitlement for working parents of 3 and 4 year olds to 30 hours and
introduced 15 free hours a week for disadvantaged 2 year olds.</p><p>Working parents
on Universal Credit may be eligible for help with up to 85% of their childcare costs
through Universal Credit to support with the costs of childcare.</p><p>In July 2022,
the department announced a package of measures to increase the choice and availability
of childcare. This included taking action to open up the childminder market to support
childminders and halt the decline in numbers, giving more parents access to affordable,
flexible childcare. We also launched our Childcare Choices communications campaign
to ensure every parent knows about the government funded support they are eligible
for.</p><p>In the 2021 Spending Review, we announced additional funding for the early
years entitlements of £160 million in 2022/23, £180 million in 2023/24 and £170 million
in 2024/25, compared to the 2021/22 financial year. Improving the cost, choice and
availability of childcare for working parents is important for this government.</p><p>For
2023/24, we will invest an additional £20 million into early years funding, on top
of the additional £180 million for 2023/24. Taken together, this will help support
providers at a national level with the additional National Living Wage costs associated
with delivering the free childcare entitlements next year.</p><p>The 2023 Spring Budget
announced that we are closing the gap between parental leave ending and the current
childcare offer for working parents, and ensuring all parents of primary-aged children
can access wraparound childcare in school.</p><p>This represents the largest ever
investment in childcare in England and will be transformative for parents, children
and the economy.</p><p>By 2027/28, the department will provide over £4.1 billion to
fund 30 hours of free childcare per week, covering 38 weeks per year, for working
parents which children aged nine months to three years old in England.</p><p>The department
will invest £204 million in 2023/24 to uplift the rates for existing entitlements,
rising to £288 million in 2024/25, with further uplifts beyond this so that providers
have the funding they need to deliver childcare entitlements.</p><p>We are removing
one of the largest barriers to working parents by increasing the amount of free childcare
available. Childcare is a vital enabler for parents to work, which is why we are bringing
forward a number of measures to support parents to return and stay in work. This new
funding will empower parents, allowing them to progress in their careers and supporting
their families.</p><p>We believe all parents should have access to childcare before
and after the school day to help them work. That is why we are also launching a new
national wraparound childcare pilot scheme.</p><p>We will provide a total of £289
million in start-up funding to enable schools and local areas to test flexible ways
of providing childcare.</p><p>By 2027/28, this government expects to be spending in
excess of £8 billion every year on free hours and early education, helping families
with young children with their childcare costs.</p>
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