January 1 deadline: UK parents could save up to £7,500 on childcare
The UK government is pushing parents to apply for expanded state-funded childcare before upcoming deadlines. Eligible families could save up to £2,500 per child each year. Yet over half a million may still be missing out on the support.
The scheme provides 30 hours of free childcare per week for working parents with children over nine months old. Early education minister Olivia Bailey has urged all families to check if they qualify. Those whose children turned nine months old between September 1 and December 31 must apply by December 31 to avoid losing out.
Aware of the benefits, Alice Barrett, a mother from Nottingham, now saves over £700 monthly through the programme. But knowledge of the expansion remains uneven. Around two in five parents from ethnic minority backgrounds were unaware of the extended 30-hour offer. In London, fewer than three in five knew about the rollout. Research also shows a gap in awareness based on income. Among the most deprived families, 65 percent were informed about the scheme, compared to 78 percent of those from the least deprived areas. No specific organisation has been named as conducting the survey on public awareness.
With deadlines approaching, the government continues to stress the importance of applying on time. Families who qualify could access significant savings, but many still remain unaware. The push for applications comes as officials aim to close the gap in uptake across different backgrounds.
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