​As the last government set out when announcing the expansion of government funded childcare in 2023, this aimed to tackle the fact that ‘the employment rate and hours worked by parents, particularly mothers, drops after childbirth and persists until after their children reach school age’.

Access to childcare continues to be a key factor in helping parents to work. Official statistics from the 2025 Childcare and Early Years Parent survey highlight that around two thirds (66%) of mothers in families with children aged 0 to 4 years said that having reliable childcare helped them to work, and that in the absence of the working parents offer for 9 months to 2 year olds, 40% in receipt of the offer said that they would be working fewer hours.

However, we know that many of those who need and benefit from early education and childcare miss out. Children who attend high-quality early education and childcare between ages 2 and 4 on average perform better at every stage of school, with children from low-income families benefiting the most. Nearly 1.5 million children aged 9 months to school age are excluded from the full 30-hour entitlement because their parents do not meet the eligibility rules. Children in lower income areas face both fewer childcare places and fewer high-quality providers on their doorstep. Childcare is a key barrier to those on low incomes working more, with a disproportionate impact on women.

This is why the department is leading an Early Education and Childcare Review to improve the system so that it is simpler, fairer and focused on children, ensuring support reaches the families who need it most. Through this, as the former Secretary of State for Education set out, universal childcare is something towards which we should build.

​As the last government set out when announcing the expansion of government funded childcare in 2023, this aimed to tackle the fact that ‘the employment rate and hours worked by parents, particularly mothers, drops after childbirth and persists until after their children reach school age’.

Access to childcare continues to be a key factor in helping parents to work. Official statistics from the 2025 Childcare and Early Years Parent survey highlight that around two thirds (66%) of mothers in families with children aged 0 to 4 years said that having reliable childcare helped them to work, and that in the absence of the working parents offer for 9 months to 2 year olds, 40% in receipt of the offer said that they would be working fewer hours.

However, we know that many of those who need and benefit from early education and childcare miss out. Children who attend high-quality early education and childcare between ages 2 and 4 on average perform better at every stage of school, with children from low-income families benefiting the most. Nearly 1.5 million children aged 9 months to school age are excluded from the full 30-hour entitlement because their parents do not meet the eligibility rules. Children in lower income areas face both fewer childcare places and fewer high-quality providers on their doorstep. Childcare is a key barrier to those on low incomes working more, with a disproportionate impact on women.

This is why the department is leading an Early Education and Childcare Review to improve the system so that it is simpler, fairer and focused on children, ensuring support reaches the families who need it most. Through this, as the former Secretary of State for Education set out, universal childcare is something towards which we should build.

​As the last government set out when announcing the expansion of government funded childcare in 2023, this aimed to tackle the fact that ‘the employment rate and hours worked by parents, particularly mothers, drops after childbirth and persists until after their children reach school age’.

Access to childcare continues to be a key factor in helping parents to work. Official statistics from the 2025 Childcare and Early Years Parent survey highlight that around two thirds (66%) of mothers in families with children aged 0 to 4 years said that having reliable childcare helped them to work, and that in the absence of the working parents offer for 9 months to 2 year olds, 40% in receipt of the offer said that they would be working fewer hours.

However, we know that many of those who need and benefit from early education and childcare miss out. Children who attend high-quality early education and childcare between ages 2 and 4 on average perform better at every stage of school, with children from low-income families benefiting the most. Nearly 1.5 million children aged 9 months to school age are excluded from the full 30-hour entitlement because their parents do not meet the eligibility rules. Children in lower income areas face both fewer childcare places and fewer high-quality providers on their doorstep. Childcare is a key barrier to those on low incomes working more, with a disproportionate impact on women.

This is why the department is leading an Early Education and Childcare Review to improve the system so that it is simpler, fairer and focused on children, ensuring support reaches the families who need it most. Through this, as the former Secretary of State for Education set out, universal childcare is something towards which we should build.

Since the introduction of the early learning for two-year-olds (EL2) entitlement the department has collected data on its uptake but does not break this data down by whether or not parents are in working families. Parents may be eligible for EL2 if they are in receipt of Universal Credit and have a household income of less than £15,400. Parents might also be eligible regardless of work status or income if their child is looked after, is in receipt of Disability Living Allowance or has an education, health and care plan.

The government is investing an additional £2.5 billion over the next three years into the Youth Guarantee and Growth and Skills Levy, supporting almost one million young people and creating up to 500,000 opportunities to earn and learn.

For young people who are not in education, employment or training (NEET), or at risk, the Post-16 Education and Skills White Paper set a clear ambition for improving identification, tracking and data sharing, so that prevention or reengagement support can be targeted at those who need it most.

The department has made a new risk of NEET indicator (RONI) tool available to local areas to identify risk earlier and more consistently, and is investing in support for monitoring attendance in further education to enable earlier intervention.

We are also improving data quality and sharing across education transitions, providing clearer guidance on the use of RONI tools, and exploring the safe and ethical use of artificial intelligence to support professional judgement.

The Government recognises the valuable contribution of unpaid carers, including young adult carers, and the challenges that caring responsibilities can present for education, training, and employment.

The Department has noted the recent research by University College London City St George’s and the Carers Trust, which contributes to the evidence base and will inform policy development. The Government continues to work across departments to support unpaid carers, including young adult carers, to access the support they need to balance caring responsibilities with education, employment, and their own health and wellbeing.

On 14 July 2026, the Government published the Cross-Government Action Plan for Unpaid Carers, setting out measures to improve recognition of unpaid carers, connect them with the right support, and help them balance caring with work, education, health, and everyday life.

The Government is also committed to improving opportunities for young people to access education, training, and employment. Through the Youth Guarantee and wider skills and employment reforms, the Government is investing £2.5 billion over the next three years to support young people into opportunities to learn and earn.

The Government will continue to review the evidence, including this research, as it develops policies to improve outcomes for unpaid carers and young people.

I refer the Rt Hon. Member to the answer given to Question UIN 91369 on 27 November 2025 and Question UIN 106779 on 27 January 2026. My Department is currently analysing the feedback received to the consultation on the new National Planning Policy Framework and will publish our response in due course.

In December 2024, the government implemented a new standard method for assessing housing needs, that better directs new homes to where they are most needed and least affordable. The new method focusses growth in our city regions – housing need across Mayoral Combined Authority areas increases by over 20% compared to the previous method.

During 2024/25 over 27 hectares of brownfield land were reclaimed on schemes supported by Homes England. Our Brownfield Infrastructure and Land programmes had unlocked capacity for over 51,000 homes by the end of 2024/25. Homes England will be reporting further delivery on brownfield land in its Annual Report and Accounts for 2025/26 to be published later in July.

The £5 billion National Housing Delivery Fund, launched in April 2026, will be the main funding point for brownfield land, through Homes England and devolved allocations.

Reducing the number of young people who are not in education, employment or training (NEET) is a shared priority for government and local authorities, preventing the impacts of disengagement on individuals, the economy and society.

Local authorities support this by maintaining effective systems to identify and support NEET young people. There is already strong practice across the sector, often in the face of significant challenges. The department has written to all local authorities and contacted those where the proportion of young people whose activity is not known is in the highest quintile to provide support and challenge, understand local circumstances, and agree actions.

To support local authorities, we have introduced a new risk of NEET indicator tool and guidance. The department is continuing to refine it with local authorities and monitoring its impact on earlier identification of young people at risk of becoming NEET.

Reducing the number of young people who are not in education, employment or training (NEET) is a shared priority for government and local authorities, preventing the impacts of disengagement on individuals, the economy and society.

Local authorities support this by maintaining effective systems to identify and support NEET young people. There is already strong practice across the sector, often in the face of significant challenges. The department has written to all local authorities and contacted those where the proportion of young people whose activity is not known is in the highest quintile to provide support and challenge, understand local circumstances, and agree actions.

To support local authorities, we have introduced a new risk of NEET indicator tool and guidance. The department is continuing to refine it with local authorities and monitoring its impact on earlier identification of young people at risk of becoming NEET.

Reducing the number of young people who are not in education, employment or training (NEET) is a shared priority for government and local authorities, preventing the impacts of disengagement on individuals, the economy and society.

Local authorities support this by maintaining effective systems to identify and support NEET young people. There is already strong practice across the sector, often in the face of significant challenges. The department has written to all local authorities and contacted those where the proportion of young people whose activity is not known is in the highest quintile to provide support and challenge, understand local circumstances, and agree actions.

To support local authorities, we have introduced a new risk of NEET indicator tool and guidance. The department is continuing to refine it with local authorities and monitoring its impact on earlier identification of young people at risk of becoming NEET.