Take part in our latest readers’ poll on a current topical issue. Last week, Employee Benefits reported that parents with children under the age of three will be eligible for 30 hours of free childcare.

In his Spring Budget statement to the House of Commons, Chancellor of the Exchequer Jeremy Hunt explained that it will be introduced in stages, with 15 hours of free childcare available from April 2024 to parents with two-year-old children. It will then be extended to working parents with children aged nine months and above in September 2024, and to every working parent with a child aged under five in September 2025.

In light of this, do you think the government should have aimed for a shorter implementation timeline for free childcare?

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Zoe Wickens is a journalist with five years of experience writing for trade and business to business publications. She joined Employee Benefits as a reporter in May 2021 and writes news and features content for the website. She won the Willis Towers Watson pay, reward and employee benefits journalist of the year award in 2023. Before writing about the HR, reward and benefit industry she worked as a reporter for publications about the optical and eyewear market and the UK stock market.View full profile

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