Employers For Childcare’s Autumn 2018 Budget Submission

Employers For Childcare has published its submission to inform the Autumn 2018 Budget, scheduled for 29 October 2018.  Read our submission in full by clicking on the link at the top right of this page.

Childcare Vouchers close to new entrants on 4 October 2018. Our submission provides clear evidence for why the Government must keep the Childcare Voucher scheme open to new entrants and continue to offer the scheme as an option for working parents alongside Tax-Free Childcare.

Our submission explains why closing Childcare Vouchers to new entrants will prevent the Government from achieving its objectives in relation to childcare by ignoring the complex and changing needs of different families, meaning many will receive less support than they would previously have been entitled to while others will miss out entirely on support.

This will lead to many ordinary working families questioning their ability to work full time or at all, and present a barrier to career progression and transition out of the welfare system for others.

Keeping Childcare Vouchers open to new entrants is a policy that:

• is aligned with the Government’s objectives
• has widespread support from parents, employers, and childcare providers
• is achievable within budget, and
• is easy to implement as the necessary infrastructure is already in place, with the scheme continuing to be available for existing beneficiaries.

The submission is based on evidence previously shared with HM Treasury, and includes a detailed breakdown of our evidence generated from callers to our charity’s Family Benefits Advice Service. It also includes a range of real life case studies.