Tories pledge to end £100,000 childcare 'cliff edge'

Summarised from 5 outlets · 6 reports · Updated 3 Oct, 22:13 · Archive

The Conservative Party will scrap the childcare entitlement cliff edge at £100,000 earnings, costing about £700m annually.

The Conservative Party has announced plans to scrap the childcare entitlement cliff edge where parents earning above £100,000 lose their free childcare entitlement. The proposal, unveiled by party leader Kemi Badenoch on the eve of the annual conference in Birmingham, will cost approximately £700m per year.

Under the current rules, parents lose their childcare entitlement if they earn more than £100,000. The Conservatives describe the cliff edge as 'absurd'. The proposed plan would extend 30 hours of free weekly childcare to any parent employed for at least 16 hours a week, regardless of salary.

Badenoch told the BBC that she wants to see 'people who work harder' not getting punished for doing so. She has framed the change as part of a broader approach to taxation policy, following an earlier Conservative proposal to abolish most stamp duty, another change that would disproportionately benefit wealthier people.

The Independent reports that the party proposes cutting public servants to fund the £700m annual cost, though other outlets do not specify the funding source.

The childcare cliff edge was introduced under the previous Conservative government. The announcement comes as the party prepares for its annual conference in Birmingham.

How it is being reported

• People shouldn't be punished for working harder, Badenoch saysBBC Politics · 3 Oct, 22:16
• Tories pledge to scrap £100,000 childcare 'cliff edge'BBC News · 3 Oct, 22:03
• Badenoch to cut public servants to fund childcare for high earnersThe Independent · 3 Oct, 22:00
• Tories plan to expand free childcare to high earners to end ‘cliff edge’Guardian World · 3 Oct, 22:00
• Badenoch vows to end £100k childcare cliff edge introduced under last Tory governmentCity AM · 3 Oct, 22:00
• Tories pledge to end £100,000 childcare ‘cliff edge’ on eve of conferenceEvening Standard · 3 Oct, 22:00

In this story: Kemi Badenoch · Conservative Party · Birmingham

This summary was written by AI from the headlines and standfirsts above, and states as fact only what at least two outlets report. How we use AI · Report a problem