Policy background
The Government’s intention is to make childcare more affordable for working parents. This Act is intended to secure the delivery of the Conservative Party’s 2015 election manifesto commitment to give families where all parents are working an entitlement to 30 hours a week of free childcare over 38 weeks of the year for their three and four year olds. All three and four year olds and disadvantaged two year olds who meet the eligibility criteria are already entitled to 15 hours a week of free early years provision for 38 weeks of the year.
	This Act makes the legislative changes needed to meet that commitment. It places a duty on the Secretary of State to make available free childcare for eligible children and provides that the Secretary of State may discharge this duty through English local authorities. It also contains provisions allowing for the sharing of data between Government Departments and Her Majesty's Revenue and Customs ('HMRC') so that a child's eligibility for the extended entitlement can be determined.
	The Act also enables the Secretary of State to place a duty on local authorities to publish information about childcare and other services available for parents locally. With the introduction of the additional entitlement to free childcare for working parents the Government believes that it is important that this information is published consistently, so that parents can access it.