This Library Note provides background reading in advance of the second reading in the House of Lords of the Childcare Bill on 16 June 2015.
Childcare Bill [HL] (HL Bill 9 of 2015–16) (276KB PDF)
In England, all three- and four-year-old children, and disadvantaged two-year-old children who meet the eligibility criteria, are currently entitled to 15 hours of free childcare per week for 38 weeks of the year. The Childcare Bill would provide for an increase in the entitlement to free childcare to 30 hours a week (for 38 weeks of the year) to be made available to eligible working parents of three- and four-year-old children in England. The Bill would also require English local authorities to publish information about the provision of childcare, and other services or facilities which may be of benefit to parents or prospective parents, or children or young persons, in their local authority area. The Government has stated that the increased entitlement would be implemented for all working parents from September 2017, with trials being introduced for some families in September 2016.
Childcare Bill [HL] (HL Bill 9 of 2015–16) (276KB PDF)
The government established a taskforce in July 2024 to develop a strategy to reduce child poverty in the UK. Published in December 2025, the strategy included a combination of previously implemented and new policies. While charities, think tanks and other groups generally welcomed the strategy, particularly the removal of the two-child universal credit limit and extension of free school meals, some argued for further reforms to the social security system.
The UK’s low and declining birth rate, alongside increasing life expectancy, is contributing to population ageing. This has raised concerns about potential effects on the size of the workforce, demand for public services and economic growth. This briefing considers these issues and sets out the government’s response to such concerns.
In October 2025, the House of Lords Public Services Committee published a report on reforming the Child Maintenance Service (CMS). It said several key areas must be improved to enable the CMS to work more effectively. The government accepted some recommendations and rejected others. The committee said it was pleased about certain actions the government had taken but it was disappointed by the lack of progress made in many areas.
