The extension to 30 hours for all children under five will be phased in, starting in April 2024 with 15 hours for all two-year-olds and 30 hours for all under-fives will not be fully-implemented until September 2025.
Delivering his speech in the House of Commons he said, 'If we really want to remove the barriers to work, we need to go further for parents who have a child under three.'
Describing the introduction of 'free childcare' for three-and four-year olds in 2010 as a landmark reform by the Conservatives he said, 'It was a landmark reform, but not a complete one. I don't want any parents with a child under five to be prevented from working if they want to. Because it's damaging to our economy and unfair mainly to women. So today, I announce that in eligible households where all adults are working at least 16 hours, we will introduce 30 hours of free childcare not just for three and four year olds, but for every single child over the age of nine months.'
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