Commons Sense

House of Commons · Ministers' Questions

Weekly Childcare Costs

Monday 12 June 2023 · 4 questions

Summarised by AI from the official record, so it can contain mistakes.

Read the full transcript on Parliament.uk

At a glance

Answered 0 Partly answered 4 Not answered 0

Key points

  • Luke Pollard asked about the average weekly cost of childcare for households with one child and two or more children; the Department does not produce an official estimate but Coram provides an average cost of 151 for 25 hours of childcare per week for under-two-year-olds.
  • Luke Pollard inquired about actions to make childcare more affordable without increasing costs for nurseries; the Government plans to double childcare spending by 2027-28, with additional funding starting this year.
  • Robert Goodwill questioned the progress on securing enough skilled personnel for extended childcare provision; the Government is consulting on flexibilities to ensure adequate staffing for the April 2024 roll-out and is providing additional funding this year.

Topics (select to filter)

Questions & Answers

Q1 Luke Pollard Labour (Co-op) Plymouth Sutton and Devonport
Children & Families
Context

The MP raised concerns about the high cost of childcare in low-wage economies, particularly in Plymouth.

Question

What recent estimate she has made of the average weekly cost of childcare for households with one child and two or more children?

Answer from Claire Coutinho

The Department does not produce an official estimate of the average weekly cost of childcare by the number of children in a household. However, Coram estimates the cost of using 25 hours a week of childcare for a child aged under two in a nursery as, on average, £151 across England.

Partly answered

Not addressed: Official estimate by number of children

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Q2 Luke Pollard Labour (Co-op) Plymouth Sutton and Devonport
Children & Families
Context

The MP discussed the struggle of families in low-wage economies to afford childcare, highlighting the need for financial support.

Question

What can the Minister do to make childcare more affordable without loading additional costs on struggling nurseries?

Answer from Claire Coutinho

The Government is taking action by doubling the amount spent on childcare by 2027-28, starting with additional funding this year.

Partly answered

Not addressed: Specific measures to reduce costs for families and nurseries

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Q3 Robert Goodwill Con
Children & Families
Context

The MP inquired about the progress of childcare provision extensions announced in the spring Budget.

Question

How is the progress on having enough highly skilled people for the roll-out of extended childcare provision?

Answer from Claire Coutinho

The Government has taken steps by consulting on flexibilities to ensure that the right people are in place for the roll-out starting April 2024. Additional funding is also going into the system this year.

Partly answered

Not addressed: Specific progress update on recruitment and training

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Q4 Helen Hayes Lab Dulwich and West Norwood
Education Employment Children & Families
Context

The MP expressed concerns about the lack of a comprehensive plan for expanding and developing the workforce to support childcare expansion.

Question

What does the Minister intend to do about the deficit in the Government's plans regarding workforce development?

Answer from Claire Coutinho

The Government has set out some flexibilities in a consultation, including qualifications relaxations. The Government has also announced the single largest ever investment into childcare.

Partly answered

Not addressed: Specific actions to address workforce deficit

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