PETITIONOpenPetition · petition.parliament.uk

Allocate more childcare funding for working parents

The government makes extra funding available for childcare costs and holiday clubs if: parents are in work and claiming Universal Credit; and if the child is eligible for free school meals respectively. This funding should also be available to working parents who fall outside these criteria.

Last fetched 09 May 2026 · petition.parliament.uk

Signatures

signatures

Government response threshold (10,000) · 26/10,000

Debate threshold (100,000) · 26/100,000

Background

Offering extra funding has multiple benefits: it would allow more parents, carers and guardians to take up full time work without worrying about high childcare costs, care givers are currently working to pay nursery and childcare fees. During the school holidays, they are left finding childcare or forced to take the little annual leave they have left whilst holiday clubs are funded for children on free school meals, whose parents may be on benefits. Open this funding up more widely.