UK chancellor urged to replace abrupt £100,000 childcare eligibility cutoff

10月预算前的压力

UK Chancellor John Healey is facing calls to reform the £100,000 income ceiling for taxpayer-funded childcare before his first budget on October 28. Under the current rules, a family can receive 30 hours of funded care each week when both parents meet the work test and remain below the individual income limit, but can lose the working-parent entitlement when either adult crosses it.

税务改革中心认为,这种突然的折磨会改变工作决策,因为低薪可以导致儿童护理价值的损失比额外工资要大得多。 该分析,据《卫报》报道,估计,在2030年,平均一个超越边界的父母需要赚取约124,000英镑,以避免在失去资格后财务上变得更糟。

Researchers identified clustering of declared incomes immediately below £100,000, which they interpret as evidence that about 1,000 families were already suppressing earnings in 2022. They project that the number could approach 12,000 by the end of the parliament. Those projections are modelling results, not an official government forecast, and depend on the policy remaining unchanged.

现行规则如何运作

Official government guidance confirms that eligibility is assessed individually rather than on combined household income. Parents generally must each meet a minimum earnings test, while neither may expect adjusted net income above £100,000. The entitlement covers children from nine months old to compulsory school age and normally provides 30 hours a week for 38 weeks of the year.

分析也表明可能的性别影响。 低薪合作伙伴在工作外的份额据报道从6%低于边界,上升到9%以上;低薪合作夥伴通常是母亲。 研究人员解释说,不持续性是失去儿童护理支持可能鼓励一些家庭减少一个父母的就业。

提出了两种替代方案。 允许屋顶上的家庭保留15个小时,预计到2030年将花费210万英镑。 另一个选项将为每额超越边界的额外英镑获得28英镑的支持;研究人员估计这种方法可以是收入中立的,同时取消即时的岩石边缘。

没有政策变更被宣布。 关键的下一步是财政部是否处理10月预算的折扣,委会进一步分析,或者留下现有资格测试无效。 这一决定将影响劳动供应、家庭财务和公共支出,使其成为经济政策问题而不是生活方式故事。