- Portsmouth parents to save cash through new guidance to prevent overcharging on childcare
- Comes alongside £75 million expansion grant targeted to deliver final phase of childcare rollout
- Early maths training and support networks to benefit thousands as Labour government pushes on with delivering Plan for Change
Parents in Portsmouth are set to save money on childcare thanks to new protections from additional charges on top of the Labour government’s free childcare offer, increasing access to high-quality early education and putting cash back into working families’ pockets.
To ensure no family is priced out of the support they need, Labour has published updated guidance today (21 February) that puts transparency at the heart of how the funded hours should be delivered, supporting local authorities to ensure providers make all additional charges – whether for nappies, wipes or lunch – clear and upfront to parents, and setting out that these charges must not be included as a condition for parents accessing their hours.
Giving every child the best start in life is central to Labour’s mission to break the unfair link between background and success, and its Plan for Change to get tens of thousands more children a year school-ready by aged 5.
As part of this, Labour is committed to delivering on the promises made to working parents, so they can save up to £7,500 on average from using the full 30 hours a week of government funded childcare support.
Commenting, Portsmouth South MP Stephen Morgan said:
“Children growing up in Portsmouth deserve the best start in life, nothing less.
“I’m backing this Labour government’s Plan for Change to make that a reality, with high quality early years education that is accessible and affordable, keeping money in families’ pockets.
“Labour is boosting work choices for parents and life chances for children in Portsmouth.”
Bridget Phillipson, Secretary of State for Education, said:
“I have been clear that giving every child the best start in life is my top priority, and integral to our mission to ensure tens of thousands more children – a record share – are school ready every year.
“That’s why despite the inherited challenges we face, we are pressing ahead with the investment and leadership needed to make sure that every child, regardless of background, can access the high-quality early education they deserve.
“Today marks an important step towards an early years system that is accessible for parents, sustainable for providers, and better serves children’s development.”
Despite having to take tough decisions to fix the foundations of the economy, Labour is increasing investment in early years to over £8 billion next year.
This includes a dedicated £75 million expansion grant, which will be targeted to providers in Portsmouth supporting delivery of the expanded 30 hours of government-funded childcare in September, helping parents with children from 9 months back into work and boosting household finances.
