UK government’s free childcare scheme in disarray, charities say

Rishi Sunak visits a Busy Bees nursery in Harrogate, North Yorkshire, in August. Busy Bees, the UK’s largest childcare provider, told parents they had to provide codes by 16 February. Photograph: Danny Lawson/PA

A flagship government childcare scheme is at risk of “falling apart” with parents struggling to access new free hours and nurseries in the dark about if they can afford to provide care, according to charities.

Parents’ groups have accused the government of planning the new free offering “on the back of a fag packet”, with thousands of “furious” parents struggling to sign up for the scheme, which starts in April.