Childcare help is welcome but wealthier parents stand to gain the most

Commenting on the Childcare Payments Bill announced as part of the Queen’s Speech today (Wednesday), TUC General Secretary Frances O’Grady said:

“It’s good to see ministers acknowledging that expensive childcare bills are placing a huge strain on many families’ finances.
 
“The Bill will help make childcare more affordable for low-income families, who will eventually have 85 per cent of their childcare bills paid by the government.
 
“All support for families struggling to meet rising childcare costs is welcome but the government’s tax-free childcare proposals mean that it is wealthier parents who stand to gain the most, when it’s really those on lower incomes who are in need of the most assistance.
 
“If ministers really wanted to make a difference to hard-pressed families they would help make more childcare places available by giving extra resources to local authorities to maintain Sure Start centres and spend on the training and salaries of low-paid childcare workers.
 
“The government should also ask more of employers too. They benefit from childcare as it enables parents to work so should also contribute to the cost, as is the case in many other countries.”

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