The launch of the new Childcare Choices website means millions of parents, including your employees, are now able to pre-register for the government’s new childcare offers.
Childcare Choices brings together all the government childcare offers for the first time, helping parents find the right childcare support to suit them. Two new schemes that are being introduced during 2017 are Tax-Free Childcare and 30 hours free childcare.
The introduction of Tax-Free Childcare will begin on 28 April, for parents of the youngest children. It will be gradually rolled out over 2017 – cutting childcare costs by up to £2,000 per child per year, or up to £4,000 for disabled children, for working parents across the UK.
The new 30 hours free childcare offer will be available in England for working parents of three and four year olds from September 2017. Parents will be able to apply in advance of September.
The Childcare Choices website includes a Childcare Calculator so parents will be able to compare the government’s childcare offers and check what works best for them and their families. Through the site your staff can also pre-register for email alerts that will notify them when they can apply this year.
Childcare vouchers (Employer Supported Childcare) will remain open to new applicants until April 2018 with parents already registered able to continue using it for as long as you offer it. Tax-Free Childcare, operated directly by parents, will be open to more than twice as many parents as childcare vouchers.
