Alliance responds to the Summer Budget

8th July 2015

Commenting on today’s budget - during which Chancellor George Osborne reaffirmed the government’s plans to extend the free early education entitlement offer to 30 hours a week for eligible three- and four-year-olds - Neil Leitch, chief executive of the Pre-school Learning Alliance, said:

“With the 30-hour offer due to be rolled out in some areas as soon as next year, it is deeply concerning that the plans remain so severely under-costed. Independent research commissioned by the Alliance found that the annual cost of the policy will be around £1.6bn, far more than the government’s budgetary estimate of £350m. Given that just last year, the Department for Education itself argued that the Labour Party’s pledge (of 25 hours a week of funded childcare for three- and four-year-olds) would cost ‘£1.5 billion, a least’, we remain unclear as to where this £350m figure has come from.

“The simple fact is that if this pledge is not funded adequately, it will not succeed. As such, it is vital that the government fully acknowledges the extent of existing shortfalls, and ensures that the upcoming review into sector funding is open, fair and comprehensive.”

Neil added:

“We were also concerned to hear the Chancellor refer to the funded childcare offer as part of the government’s “goal of securing full employment in Britain”. Early years provision is about giving children the best start in life, not just getting parents back to work. As such, it is crucial that the government now focuses on how it can support the provision of sustainable, high-quality early education and care, and doesn’t try to deliver childcare on the cheap.”

For further information or to interview, Neil Leitch, Chief Executive of the Pre-school Learning Alliance please contact:
Shannon Hawthorne
Pre-school Learning Alliance
T: 020 7697 2503
E: Shannon Hawthorne

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Notes for editors

  • During his oral evidence session with the House of Lords Affordable Childcare Committee last year, childcare minister Sam Gyimah said: “More broadly on the 15 hours, there are some other parties who would say, “Why do you not offer 25 hours?”, for example. But the EPPSE evidence tells us that a little and often is best. Also, I am not sure that providers necessarily want to deliver 25 hours of state-subsidised childcare, because it limits their ability to offer other childcare that may come to them at a higher rate, to be brutally honest. The increased cost of that is quite enormous. Going from something like 15 hours to 25 hours would cost an extra £1.5 billion at least.”

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ABOUT THE ALLIANCE

  1. The Pre-school Learning Alliance is the largest voluntary sector provider of quality affordable childcare and education in England.
  2. Through direct provision and its membership of 14,000 nurseries, sessional pre-schools and parent and toddler groups, the Alliance supports over 800,000 children and their families in England. The Alliance also develops and runs family learning programmes, offers information and advice, runs acclaimed training and accreditation programmes and campaigns to influence early years policy and practice.
  3. For information about the Pre-school Learning Alliance, visit our website:

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