Lib Dems will introduce free childcare from 9 months

by Lib Dem team on 14 November, 2019

The Liberal Democrats will introduce free childcare from 9 months, transforming the lives of parents and children across the UK.

Today’s high cost of childcare means that too many parents are unable to return to work without risking real financial hardship. With the average cost of 25 hours nursery care for a child under two running to more than £6500 per year, many parents are effectively excluded from work due to the burden of childcare costs.

A Liberal Democrat government will build a fairer economy by providing free, high-quality childcare for every child aged two to four, for 35 hours a week, 48 weeks a year. The offer is extended to children aged between 9 and 24 months where their parents are in work. 

More information here.

   13 Comments

13 Responses

  1. Alan says:

    By comparison the most recent leaflet by the Tories contained nothing but lies, it’s astounding that these days under Johnson, it’s deemed permissible to just say anything.
    Mary Robinson suggested that the Tories would spend £33bn on the NHS- even her own party says it’s £20bn.
    She promised 20,000 extra police when they’re not extra they’re replacements for the 21,000 cut during so called austerity.
    And every child will have money spent on them in school? Yes that may be true, but the most spending is going to Tory held seats.
    Despicable

    • John Hartley says:

      The “leader column” in today’s Observer is titled “The Tories are setting dismal standards of dishonesty”.

      It is a gob-smacking catalogue of recent lies and deceits from the party generally and Johnson specifically.

      Britons deserve better than this.

      • Bruce says:

        Quelle surprise John you read the Guardian.

        You may be interested in this link –

        https://www.telegraph.co.uk/politics/2019/11/07/greens-merely-lib-dems-useful-idiots-remain-alliance/

        • John Hartley says:

          SHOCK HORROR. A Tory reads the Telegraph. Whoda thought it?

          SHOCK HORROR 2. The Torygraph doesn’t like parties of the left, like the Greens.

          SHOCK HORROR 3 – you resort to a personal attack rather than deal with the issue I raised. Again. Surely you can do better than that, Bruce?

          (By the by, unlike the Guardian/Observer which is freely available online to anyone who logs on, the Telegraph hides its journalism behind a pay wall, so I can’t read your link. Elitest, or what?)

          • Bruce says:

            John – where did I say that I read the Telegraph? I read all the online newspapers including the Guardian. I certainly don’t subscribe to the Telegraph – if they want people to read it then they should make it free.

            And where did I say that I don’t like the Greens? I actually do and my point is valid. Why didn’t the Lib dems step aside for the Greens?

            If the Greens never have any candidates how can anyone vote for them?

          • John Hartley says:

            OK, I made an assumption that you read the Telegraph. You gave a link to an article and I assumed you knew what it contained as you clearly thought I might be interested.

            If you re-read my previous post, you’ll see that I did not say that you don’t like the Greens. How could I know one way or the other. Why would I care? What I said was that the Torygraph doesnt like parties of the left. You wouldnt disagree would you?

            And you are simply wrong in your other assertion. The Lib Dems and Plaid Cmyru have stood down in several constituencies. There are ten seats where the Lib Dems have stood down in favour of the Green Party candidate. But you’re accurate that the Greens have stood down in Cheadle – a simple matter that the Lib Dems are the best placed to oust the Tory here. That’s the whole point of the Remain Alliance.

  2. John H says:

    Attending Remembrance Sunday was a fine gesture, but there appears to be no financial plans for care of the elderly.
    A once a year thought for the veterans is not enough.
    Maybe not considered a bigger vote winner than child care.

    • Iain Roberts says:

      Hi John – glad you mentioned care for the elderly. The Lib Dem policy is to boost spending on the NHS and care for the elderly, and to pay for it with a penny on income tax. It’s a really important issue and one we’ll be talking about a lot in the coming weeks.

  3. Jane says:

    35 hours of free childcare a week for parents who DONT work??

  4. David says:

    The bids for votes are getting interesting – Free childcare, free internet, more and better trains, billions more for the NHS, lower taxes for some (in other words cash in the hand), how long before one party offers up better Summers?
    I’m holding out for a free Caribbean holiday once a year and free fuel for my car!

  5. Janet Brindley says:

    I think we have been down this path before: given that the average nursery is open 50 hours per week and relies on full time occupancy to survive . . who pays for the 15 hours + shortfall in nursery income?

    • Iain Roberts says:

      Hi Janet, I remember when my kids were in nursery I didn’t want everything to be completely free but I would really have welcomed some help to reduce the cost. Cutting that cost also makes it more worthwhile for parents to work while the kids are in nursery.

  6. Amber says:

    Jo Swinsons Voting Record. Please can we have reasons why;

    Voted
    for the Bedroom Tax
    for reducing benefits for the ill and disabled
    For tripling tuition fees
    For the privatisation of the post office
    For a no deal Brexit
    For culling badgers

    Against reducing bankers bonus tax
    Against mansion tax
    Against slowing of rail fares
    Against the regulation of fracking

Leave a Reply to John H

You can use these tags: <a href="" title=""> <abbr title=""> <acronym title=""> <b> <blockquote cite=""> <cite> <code> <del datetime=""> <em> <i> <q cite=""> <s> <strike> <strong>