We suggest basing eligibility for childcare support for working parents on household income, rather than individual income.

Compare these two families under the current rules: Family A) Two parents each earning £95k = £190k total household income → 30 free childcare hours Family B) One parent earning £105k, the other £40k = £145k total household income → no childcare help We believe that this isn’t just illogical — it’s unjust. We think it risks trapping many parents (mostly mothers) in unemployment, as without any support, childcare costs can exceed their income — all because one parent earns "too much."