05/06/2024
Parents in the UK have been promised a lifeline when the policy comes into effect next September. As it stands, the UK is the most expensive country in the developed world for childcare, with the average costs in London hitting £1,781 a month. The new policy is aimed at helping families footing the bill and to encourage more parents back to work.
Here are five points you must know about the scheme:
👶🏼 Both parents must be in employment to apply.
To be eligible for the new scheme, both parents must be in paid work and neither parent can earn over £100,000. For many who have given up work to care for their children it will require them to find a new job before being able to apply.
👶🏼 Register early to avoid long waiting lists
To secure a spot, parents should apply as early as possible. The Department for Education recommends parents apply for a space one year before their child’s ideal start date.
👶🏼 Not every nursery will opt in
Make sure you check if the nursery or childminder is implementing the scheme or if they have any additional fees.
Some providers have said they might have to opt out of the scheme as it will cost them too much to implement the scheme.
Others have introduced additional ‘top-up fees’ to bridge the gap between the costs of running the scheme and the shortfall in government funding.
Scheme only applies to term-time not all year round
The free hours entitlement has been calculated based on term-time usage, meaning it only applies to 38 weeks out of 52. Government data shows that, on average, just 55% of nursery group providers are open during both term-time and during school holidays
The rules might change before September 2025
It’s important to note that the scheme could alter with a change in government, especially considering the upcoming election.
This information was put together for us by Startups.co.uk. To read the full article head to our website, link in bio
