Over 100,000 parents sign petition for 15 hours of free childcare to start from nine months

Over 116,000 parents have signed a petition calling for the government to review its current free childcare guidelines.

The government will now have to respond to the petition and the parliament will consider the issue for debate.

The government currently offers at least 15 hours of free childcare for all three and four-year-olds in the UK. This is available for 38 weeks of the year.

Parents are now petitioning for this to be lowered from three years old to nine months old.

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Currently, working parents who earn at least the minimum wage or living wage for 16 hours per week but fall under the £100,000 threshold may also qualify for an extra 15 hours of free childcare on top.

At the moment, some two-year-olds can also get free childcare if their parents are on some benefits, including income support or Universal Credit.

Parents also must have a combined income of £15,400 or less after tax, in order to qualify.

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However, the new petition is encouraging the government to review the current guidelines. The parents would like to see the free childcare policy lowered to nine months, when statutory maternity pay ends.

Harley Cuthbert, who started the petition, said: “It makes more sense to provide this funding from 9 months instead of 2 years.”

“Many working families struggle week to week due to the cost of childcare. You are required to go back to work after a year of maternity pay however many go back after 9 months due to funds.”

She continues: “Once you go back the majority of your wage goes to childcare and in some cases you are better of not working. This should not be the case.”

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