Tories pledge to double free childcare for 3 and 4 year olds

Launching the Conservative Party manifesto, David Cameron said the Party would make childcare tax free and double the number of free childcare available for three and four year olds whose parents work. He said this was equivalent to £5,000 a year.

Neil Leitch, chief executive of the Pre-School Learning Alliance, said he questioned how feasible such an increase was, given that current money provided to nurseries for three and four year olds did not cover the full cost of childcare.

The Conservative Party says it will increase the local hourly rate of funding for childcare providers, but Leitch says it seemed “counterintuitive” to double free childcare without first consulting providers about the size of the current funding shortfall for three and four year olds.

Cameron also said the Conservatives would pass legislation to ensure that anyone working 30 hours on minimum wage rates would continue to pay no income tax.

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