The analysis by the Institute for Fiscal Studies (IFS) shows only a quarter of young, disadvantaged children were eligible for a place in 2022/23, compared with nearly two in five in 2015.
The IFS fears the proportion could fall further amid the government’s policy of prioritising childcare support towards parents who work, rather than universal services or targeted support for low income families.
In this year’s Budget the government announced an expansion of free childcare to offer 30 hours a week of term time care to children in working families from the age of nine months. Currently this is only available to three- and four-year-olds in working family households.
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