FOR TOO long, working families in Redditch were left to struggle.
Parents were forced to make impossible choices – give up work to look after their children or pay nursery fees so high they wiped out their salaries.
It was usually mums who had to sacrifice their careers while previous governments shrugged their shoulders and told families to get on with it. That was never good enough.
This month, that changes. This Government has delivered the biggest expansion of childcare in our country’s history.
Over 500,0000 families are now receiving 30 hours of Government-funded childcare every week – saving parents up to £7,500-a-year per child. That’s money straight back into the pockets of hardworking people.
Let’s be clear about what this means. £7,500 is more than half the average annual mortgage payment for a first-time buyer.
It’s almost double what many families spend on food shopping in a year.
It’s the difference between saying ‘no’ to opportunity and having the freedom to build a better future.
Right here in Redditch, Matchborough First School Academy is opening one of 300 new Government-funded nurseries. Real investment, real savings and real opportunities for our children.
But the Government isn’t stopping there.
For years, parents dreaded the school holidays because childcare costs soared while bills kept piling up.
That’s why we’reinvesting over £600million in the Holiday Activities and Food programme, guaranteeing hundreds of thousands of children fun activities and nutritious meals when schools are closed.
This saves families around £300-a-year and ensures no child in Redditch goes hungry during the holidays.
We’re also rolling out free breakfast clubs in every primary school and expanding free school meals to another 500,000 children.
Add to that our new Best Start Family Hubs and you can see the difference a Government that backs working people can make.
Previous governments told you childcare was your problem.
This Government is proving it’s our responsibility to make sure every child – whatever their background – gets the best start in life.
This is what real change looks like.
4th Jun, 2026
