Childcare: £400m to expand free scheme in England

£400m will be invested into the government plans to expand free childcare for working parents in England from April. 

The Department for Education (DfE) has also announced an increase in funding rates for nursery places. 

Its hourly rates available to providers will be £11.22 for under-twos, £8.28 for two-year-olds, and £5.88 for three and four-year-olds.

Chancellor Jeremy Hunt said the current scheme offering some families 30 free hours of childcare per week would be extended to cover younger children. 

It was intended to help 60,000 more parents of young children back into the workforce.