Daily roundup: Disability support, childcare costs and benefits cap

A report published today by Family Fund finds that families of disabled children are in desperate need of support and advice on managing sleep. Its report reveals the impact that lack of sleep has on families with disabled children, with a survey of 2,000 parents and carers showing 93 per cent are up in the night with their children and half have health issues due to lack of sleep.

The Family and Childcare Trust fears that more children than ever before will be left “home alone” over the school summer holidays due to the spiraling costs of childcare and holiday clubs. The trust’s annual holiday childcare costs survey shows the average cost of a week’s holiday childcare is £109, a nine per cent rise from last year.

The Children’s Society has warned that twice as many children as adults will be affected by the introduction of the government’s benefits cap from today. The Society says 140,000 families with children will be hit by the new cap, which limits to a maximum of £500 the amount of benefit per week that couples and lone parents can receive.