Petition · Department for Education

Allocate more childcare funding for working parents

Open for signatures 65 signatures

What the petition asks

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.
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.

Timeline

23 Mar 2026 Petition opened for signatures

Key facts

Signatures 65
Status Open for signatures
Department Department for Education
Opened 23 Mar 2026

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Source: the official petition page. Last checked 26 Jul 2026.