Childcare support and the hours trap: the Universal Credit

The Government recently announced the terms under which childcare costs will be supported as part of Universal Credit from 2013. It has made an extra £300m available, compared to present spending levels. This briefing updates the earlier briefing Childcare support and the hours trap, published in May 2011, to show the impact of the government’s final proposal for childcare support on work incentives for single parents and second earners.