Childcare support for low income families

PARENTS on low incomes in Runcorn have been offered support to ease the burden of childcare costs.

The town was picked for the advice because it is among the areas where Universal Credit has been rolled out and replaced other types of out-ofwork benefits.

A Department For Work And Pensions spokesman said many parents faced the choice of staying at home to look after their children or staying at work.

He said the Government wanted to help all parents who want to have a job but who think that childcare is too expensive or that they have been away from the world of work for too long.

Under the Universal Credit system, parents can receive 85% of all monthly childcare costs, worth up to £13,000 a year for a family with two children.

Tax-free childcare will also be available from 2017, giving working parents up to an extra £2,000 a year for children up to 12 years of age and £4,000 a year for children with disabilities up to age 17.

Personalised work coach support will be given to parents looking to return to work and to help them to find a job that fits with their childcare responsibilities.

The spokesman said that Universal Credit would enable parents to take on part-time work without losing benefits.

From autumn 2017, free childcare provision will be doubled to 30 hours for parents of three and four-yearolds.

Damian Hinds, employment minister, said: “Childcare is the number one issue facing many working families today, which is why we are ensuring every parent has access to affordable and good-quality childcare to help them move back into work.

“The old benefits system put lots of barriers in the way for parents, but Universal Credit helps parents by opening up temp or part time work as a great stepping stone to something more permanent.”