The Department for Education will consult with nurseries and key stakeholders to consider whether changes should be made to the current regulations. These require nurseries to offer parents a completely free nursery place for 15 hours a week with no 'top-up' fees.
Nurseries across the country are reporting that local authority funding does not cover their costs, with some already forced to pull out of the scheme rather than risk closure because the code gives them no leeway to make up shortfalls.
Before the election the Conservatives had pledged to suspend the code and allow nurseries to charge top-up fees, but despite protests it came into force as planned last September.
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