UK families on universal credit to get childcare costs paid upfront

This week’s budget expected to include support to ease financial pressure, but attached to greater obligations to seek work

Poorer working parents are to be given more help with the costs of childcare as part of this week’s budget, after warnings that support for them has been severely eroded, and that claiming it is too complicated.

Parents eligible for help through universal credit will now be given childcare funding upfront, while it is understood that the amount they can claim will increase by hundreds of pounds. However, the budget will also contain more obligations on such parents to search for work and there will be a general tightening of sanctions aimed at those on welfare.