The poorest families will see no direct benefit from the expansion of free childcare, a study has found, as the Government is accused of failing to prioritise inequalities in children’s development.
Changes announced by Jeremy Hunt in the March Budget represented an unprecedented expansion of free childcare, but the focus on parents who work rather than universal services or targeted support for low-income families means the biggest benefit will be felt in more affluent households, according to the Institute for Fiscal Studies (IFS).
