"Women and money - Childcare costs - Savvywoman

The government announced that 250,000 two-year-olds from lower income families will get free childcare.

In his autumn statement, the chancellor said more two-year-olds would qualify for free childcare. How will the scheme work?

The autumn statement had a number of headline announcements that had little additional detail. One of those was the news that around 260,000 two year olds from lower income families would be entitled to 15 hours free childcare a week (an increase of around 130,000 on the government's current free childcare plans). Several of you got in touch to ask for more information and this is what I’ve been able to find out:


	08-12-2011

Research shows that families on low incomes are giving up work because they can’t afford childcare.

The research shows many families struggle to pay childcare costs and some lower income families give up work or turn down jobs.

According to the Daycare Trust, which campaigns for affordable childcare and Save the Children UK, many parents on low incomes have either given up work or turned down a job because of the cost of childcare and 80% said they were in a similar position to not working after they’d paid for childcare. For 40% of parents (not just those on a low income) childcare costs were roughly the same as their rent or mortgage.


	07-09-2011

Parents will get more flexible access to free childcare under plans outlined by the government.

The government wants to let parents use free childcare between 7 am and 7 pm and give them more flexibility about when they use it.

At the moment all three and four year olds in England and Wales are entitled to free childcare for up to 15 hours a week for 38 weeks of the year. The problem is that – under the current rules – the childcare has to be taken over a minimum of three days. According to the childcare charity the Daycare Trust, the government’s plans should help thousands of families.


	06-07-2011

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