New figures reveal over half a million children are now benefiting from the government’s rollout of funded childcare, easing pressure on household finances, giving children access to high-quality early education and supporting parents to work.

Already, the rollout has far surpassed the target of 500,000 children set when the 30 hours kicked off at the beginning of this month, with the government going further and faster to break down barriers to opportunity for every child.

Strong take-up is seen across the country – from over 78,000 validated codes in the North West to almost 92,000 in the South East – helping families save up to £7,500 a year per child and boosting the economy by helping parents get back to work.

And thanks to the continued growth of school-based nurseries , life

See Full Page