Local MP Robbie Moore has welcomed new support for childcare set out in the government’s budget as “transformational” for families across Keighley, Ilkley and the wider area.
Chancellor Jeremy Hunt announced a range of new measures on childcare, including an extension of 30 free hours of childcare per week to working parents of children from 9 months to 4 years, increasing the Universal Credit childcare cost maximum to £950 for one child and £1,629 for two children, and paying Universal Credit childcare costs up front rather than in arrears to help with household budgets
The government also announced that it would increase the hourly rates paid to providers of free childcare to support the sector to meet rising costs and the introduction of a childminders grant of £600 for individual applicants and up to £1,200 for applicants who apply through a childminder agency.
Introducing new market reforms to the childcare sector, the Chancellor confirmed changes to minimum staff-to-child ratios for 2 year olds, moving from 1:4 to 1:5 to align with Scotland.
Commenting on the measures, Robbie Moore MP said:
“The new measures of support for childcare set out by the government today will have a transformational impact on childcare provision across Keighley, Ilkley, Silsden, the Worth Valley and our wider area, and are a huge step forward in the efforts to reform our childcare system.
Improving our childcare system has been one of my top priorities as Keighley and Ilkley’s MP, which is why I personally lobbied on numerous occasions both the Chancellor and the Secretary of State for Education Gillian Keegan for childcare reform after my correspondence and meetings with local childcare providers and parents.
It is therefore extremely welcome to hear the government is implementing a package of new measures which will address a number of concerns previously raised to me by parents in our community”.
