In his spring budget the chancellor, Jeremy Hunt, announced “landmark” plans to extend free childcare in England to infants aged one and two as part of a drive to boost the workforce.
In a £4bn policy move, Hunt said the government would offer 30 hours of free childcare for every child from the age of nine months, where all adults in the household work at least 16 hours. He says this will reduce childcare costs for a family by nearly 60%.