Free childcare could be axed under new Government plans

Currently, childcare funding is given to the providers alone, including nurseries and childminders.

In England, three and four-year-olds are entitled to 15 hours of free childcare a week during school term time.

But now suggestions that Prime Minster Liz Truss is hoping to send money directly to parents so they can spend how they see fit, rather than paying nurseries for free hours.

Downing Street could axe free nursey hours under new plans 

The PM and her Education Secretary, Kit Malthouse are believed to be looking into proposals that would see the funding paid to parents directly.

The Department for Education (DfE) shared that there is “a wide range of options” being explored to make childcare more accessible and affordable.

Canva (Image: Canva)

One plan for the DfE according to The Times is to give parents a flexible childcare budget in place for a paid-for space.

Seeing the Government potentially loosening the rules on the providers that can offer the care and how old children need to be to qualify.

But in another option, families could be given the freedom on how they spend the cash, with the option to pass it on to family members that help with childcare.

However, the reported plan has received mixed opinions as Labour’s shadow education secretary, Bridget Phillipson reportedly described the plans as “half-baked.”

Saying: “Childcare is vital, for parents, for children, for our economy and for our society, but these half-baked plans show the Conservatives have no idea how to create a system that works for families.”

A DfE spokesperson shared they are “exploring a wide range of options to make childcare more accessible and affordable for parents, but no decisions have been made.”