Written Question·Department for Work and Pensions·UIN 109894

Maternity Pay: Childcare

Tabled: 30 January 2026
Answered: 9 February 2026

Question

Gideon Amos

Liberal DemocratTaunton and Wellington

To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what assessment he has made of the potential impact of statutory maternity pay rates that do not allow parents to receive 30 hours of free childcare on the ability of those parents to access childcare;

Answer

Andrew Western
The 30 hours free childcare entitlement aims to support parents to return to work or to take on more hours if they wish. To be eligible, each working parent in a household must expect to earn the equivalent of 16 hours a week at National Minimum/Living Wa...

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