UK Parliament home

Open Fund childcare for working parents immediately after maternity leave ends

Created by Harry Barnes
Closes on

We want the Government to change the Funded Childcare for Working Parents scheme in England so eligible parents can access their childcare hours immediately after maternity, paternity, adoption or shared parental leave ends, rather than waiting until the next school term.

Eligible working parents can receive up to 30 hours of funded childcare per week for children aged from 9 months old, but support only starts from the next school term.

This means parents returning to work after a cut-off pay full nursery fees for months despite already being eligible. A parent returning in May will not receive funded childcare until September.

Parents do not plan maternity leave around school terms. HMRC should be able to process support from the date parental leave ends

Sign this petition

39 signatures

Show on a map

10,000

Petition progress

View all updates for this petition, with the most recent first.

  • Petition published

    This petition can now be signed.

    If this petition gets 10,000 signatures, government will respond to it.

    If this petition gets 100,000 signatures, it will be considered for debate in Parliament.

    This petition will stay open until 22 December 2026.