Petition · Department for Education

Increase the £100k childcare income cap in line with inflation

Open for signatures 1,682 signatures

What the petition asks

Increase the £100,000 per-parent childcare eligibility income cap to restore its original real-terms value, and automatically uprate it each year in line with inflation to prevent further fiscal drag and unfair loss of childcare support.
The £100,000 cap has been frozen since the 30-hours childcare scheme began in 2017. Since then, CPI inflation has risen by around 35%, meaning £100,000 now has the real-terms value of roughly £135,000. Earnings have increased while the cap has not, pulling more families over the limit each year. The per-parent cliff edge also produces unfair outcomes between households with similar or lower total incomes.

Timeline

20 Mar 2026 Petition opened for signatures

Key facts

Signatures 1,682
Status Open for signatures
Department Department for Education
Opened 20 Mar 2026

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