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Budget 2023: Hunt announces expansion of funded childcare hours

2 mins read Early Years
Chancellor of the Exchequer Jeremy Hunt has announced the expansion of funded childcare hours for children aged over nine months, as part of his Spring Budget.
Chancellor Jeremy Hunt has announced his Spring Budget 2023. Picture: The Treasury
Chancellor Jeremy Hunt has announced his Spring Budget 2023. Picture: The Treasury

Announcing his Budget for 2023, Hunt said that the current system in England, which offers 30 hours of funded childcare to parents of three- and four-year-olds who work the equivalent of 16 hours per week on National Minimum Wage, will be expanded to cover the lower age group.

The reforms, which will match the eligibility of the current three- and four-year-old offer, will be introduced in stages with all parents of children under five able to access 30 hours of funded childcare from September 2025, Hunt said.

Fifteen hours of free childcare for working parents of two-year-olds will be introduced in April 2024 and 15 hours of free childcare for working parents of children aged nine months to 3 years old will be introduced in September 2024.

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