The Government have invested an extra £200million in funding to the childcare sector in September 2023 and promised over £400million for 2024-25.
The government are taking important steps to deliver the expanded 30 hours free childcare scheme for working parents from when their child turns nine-months-old until they start school, saving them £6,500 a year.
Over 100,000 parents of two-year-olds have already registered their children on the system to benefit from the first stage of the roll out that entitles them to 15 hours free childcare from April 2024.
To prepare for the new offer, the government have invested an extra £200million in funding to the sector in September 2023 and promised over £400million for 2024-25 to uplift hourly rates for the early year entitlements.
The government are also trialling a new recruitment offer to increase the number of staff nurseries and early years providers need to offer more childcare places to parents. New recruits will receive a £1,000 bonus when they start their first role in childcare.
The government are also making the biggest investment by a UK government into childcare in history, doubling the amount that is expected to be spent over the next few years from around £4 billion to around £8 billion each year.
Matt Vickers MP, said:
"I welcome the fact that the Government are rolling out the biggest-ever investment in childcare in England.
This initiative will save the average working family £6,500 a year, giving families 30 free hours a week of childcare from when their children are 9 months old until they start school.
This ensures that young families have the support they need to get back to work and not have to pay sky-high childcare costs."
David Johnson, Minister for Children, Families and Wellbeing, said:
"It is the biggest expansion of childcare provision in history.
By the time the roll-out is complete in September 2025, it will save the average family up to £6,500 a year in childcare costs."
