Residents' briefing: changes to childcare support

Childcare

Changes to Child Benefit:

First, we are raising the threshold at which families start to pay the 'High-Income Child Benefit Charge' (HICBC). At present anyone earning over £50,000 starts to pay the HICBC.

  • So, from April this year, no one earning under £60,000 will pay the HICBC, meaning nearly half a million families with children will gain around £1,300 next year.
  • And for people earning between £60,000 and £80,000, the rate will halve to 1% of every £200, meaning Child Benefit is fully withdrawn when income reaches £80,000.

Second, we are ending the unfairness of single-earner families being treated the same as double-earner families. We will remove this by moving to a household system.

  • It isn’t right that two parents earning £49,000 a year – a total of £98,000 for that family – receive full Child Benefit whereas a household with a single earner on just £50,000 starts losing their Child Benefit.

Changes to childcare support:

Did you know help with childcare costs is expanding? If you’re a working parent of a pre-school age child or children, here are some key dates you should be aware of: 

  • From April 2024, eligible working parents in England with children aged 2 will have access to 15 hours childcare. 
  • From September 2024, the 15 hours childcare offer will be expanded to eligible working parents in England with children between 9 and 23 months old. 
  • From September 2025, eligible working parents in England with children between 9 months up to school age will have access to 30 hours childcare. 

If you’re eligible, funding will be available to you the term after your child has turned the relevant age. 

To be awarded funding, all parents in the household must work and earn a minimum of £167.00 per week each but less than £100,000 per year each and the child must fall into the right age group. 

Funded spaces can be accessed at any early years provider that offers them, this could be a childminder, day nursery, pre-school or school. 

How to apply: 

  • Families can apply via the Childcare Choices website. Here you can find information on all the existing childcare offers in one place, so parents can get the help that fits their family.
  • Foster carers can also apply for their foster children, by requesting an application form from [email protected]. Foster parents must be working as well as being a foster carer and the child’s social worker must approve that it’s in line with the child’s plan to attend an early years provider.  

Full details on eligibility, how to apply for funding and how to find a childcare provider are available on the Wirral Council website

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