For many families the most pressing issue when it came to voting in the General Election was the rising cost of childcare.
Recent polls suggest one in four people could have to give up their job or education because they can’t afford babysitters or nurseries.
Swing voters with children were found to be more than twice as likely to make childcare pledges a top priority than the average voter.
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Now, as Labour begins to form a new government, here’s a look at what the they party has promised in terms of childcare.
Labour Party’s manifesto policies on childcare
- Continue the Conservatives’ childcare expansion plan
- Open an additional 3,000 nurseries
- Introduce free breakfast clubs
Childcare
The Labour Party’s manifesto confirms that they will continue the Conservative’s childcare expansion plan, as set out in Jeremy Hunt’s Budget in 2023.
The major reform stated that in eligible households, where all adults are working at least 16 hours, families would be entitled to 30 hours of free childcare, for every child over the age of nine months.
This offer would begin the moment maternity or paternity leave ends, and would save families with a two-year-old using 35 hours of childcare each week an average of £6,500 a year.
Additional nurseries
In order to deliver this entitlement, Labour say they will open an additional 3,000 nurseries by upgrading spare classroom space in existing primary schools.
This would create 100,000 new childcare places, which will be focused in childcare ‘deserts’, to target the areas where parents are struggling the most to access childcare.
It’s estimated the new nurseries would cost around £40,000 per classroom to put into place, and this money would come from private schools, as Labour plans to scrap their tax exempt status and business rates relief, and introduce a 20% VAT on private school fees.
Free breakfast clubs
In addition to this, the party has also said they will introduce free breakfast clubs in all primary schools, which will not only help parents struggling with childcare of a morning, but will be an initial step to confront child poverty in the UK, as last year over a million children experienced destitution.
Labour claims that for parents who are currently paying for a childminder before school, using the free breakfast clubs would make them £50 better off a week, and save them £2,000 across the school year.
For those currently paying for a breakfast club, this change would save them £400 over the full school year.
Parental leave
Finally, Labour have said that they will review the parental leave system within their first year, to ensure it best supports working families, and make parental leave a day-one right.
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