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Christian charity says Government doesn't value stay-at-home parents

Christian charity CARE says the importance of stay-at-home parents is being overlooked by the Government as it introduces proposals to help with childcare costs.  Plans are being outlined which could see taxpayer-funded support given to families where both parents are in work.

A consultation has been launched today which could save a working family with two children under 12 years of age up to £2,400 per year.

Vouchers will be issued to families and they will also be available to mums and dads who are full-time carers.  Under the new scheme, the Government would cover 20% of working families' childcare costs up to a limit of £6,000 per year per child. In the first year of the scheme, starting in autumn 2015, children born in or after September 2010 will be eligible. This will increase to children aged six in the second year, and so on until children under the age of 12 are eligible.  Once the scheme has been fully phased in, eligibility will end in the September following the child's 11th birthday. To be eligible for the scheme, families will have all parents in work, with each earning less than £150,000 per year, and will not already receive support through tax credits - or Universal Credit in the future - or the current Employer Supported Childcare scheme. Ministers want parents to give their thoughts on the proposals.

Chancellor George Osborne said:

"This government is on the side of people who want to work hard and get on in life. 

"Tax-free Childcare will help working parents by giving them more choice and better access to the quality, affordable childcare they need.

"We want to make the new scheme work in the way that is best for parents, so today we are asking for their views, and I'd like as many parents as possible to tell us what they think."

Doctor Dan Boucher is Director of Parlimentary Affairs for Christian charity Care. He told Premier's Marcus Jones on the News Hour should reward all mums and dads, not just when both are in employment.his concerns with the consultation:

If it goes ahead it will start in autumn 2015 for families with children born in or after September 2010. Shadow Childrens Minister Sharon Hodgson is critical of the timing of the policy. 

She said:

"It's not going to help any families until autumn of 2015. 

"Families need help now. Millionaires have been given help now they've had a tax rebate, we want mums and families to have help now."

Chief Secretary to the Treasury, Danny Alexander, said:

"The government wants to build a stronger economy and a fairer society and key to that is getting more people into work. 

"We won't let childcare costs stand in the way of parents' ability to work if they want to.

"Tax-free childcare will put money in families' pockets, saving the typical two child family up to £2,400 per year on their childcare costs and allowing parents more choice to work the hours they want.

"While the Tax-free Childcare scheme is being introduced to support only families where all parents are working, there will be some exceptions to this. 

"Parents on paid maternity, paternity and adoption leave will be eligible to continue receiving Tax-free childcare for any children they already have; and couples in which one parent works and the other is in receipt of contributory Employment and Support Allowance or Carers' Allowance will also be eligible for the scheme."

The plans proved controversial when first proposed earlier this year because one parent who stays at home wouldn't benefit. The government says the overall scheme will help 2.5 million families. The average cost of a part-time nursery place for a child under two in the UK is now over £5,000 per year.

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