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The Early Years Alliance has issued a comment following  that the government is planning to increase the maximum amount people can claim for childcare and early years provision on universal credit, as well as paying for those costs upfront, at Wednesday's Budget.

Commenting, Neil Leitch, CEO of the Early Years Alliance, said: 

"While greater support towards the cost of childcare and early education for those receiving universal credit is very welcome, any suggestion that this alone is enough to address the early years crisis in this country would be wholly misguided.

"Years of government underfunding has resulted in an early years sector where thousands of providers are closing their doors each year, while at those that remain open, early educators are leaving in their droves. Simply put, there is no point giving some parents greater support towards the costs of care and education if there is no one left to provide it.

"Unless the government tackles the underlying cause of high costs and commits to significant investment into the early years, the sector simply won’t survive. It is vital, therefore, that this policy change is part of a much wider package of measures that will ensure that early years providers can remain financially sustainable, both now and in the years to come."