Tories promise childcare tax relief for all

His voting record on maternity pay and rights isn't great, but David Cameron is hoping that his latest childcare policies will swing parents' votes his way. In a speech today, the Tory leader will call for childcare tax relief for all parents, allowing working parents to spend the money on whatever form of childcare they wish.

Under a Conservative government, the current form of tax credits – which is limited in scope by income and can only be used for nurseries and childminders – would be extended to all parents, regardless of salary.

'Sadly, our childcare costs are now among the highest in Europe,' he will say. 'Gordon Brown’s solution is the childcare tax credit. This is symptomatic of a top-down approach. The credit is complicated for parents to claim, it can’t be spent on informal care like that provided by friends and relatives, and its eligibility is restricted.' The Tories would, he said, in the short term extend tax credits to 'cover all forms of childcare, and not just the least well-off families'.

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