General election: Tory early years pledge ‘would push childcare funding deficit to £800m’

The Conservative Party’s childcare manifesto could increase the early years funding deficit to £824m, a new report has warned. A cost analysis of early years pledges from all main political parties by independent research agency Ceeda shows all plans will leave nurseries facing a funding shortfall. But, Conservative Party promises will leave early years providers with the biggest bill, says the analysis. Earlier this year Ceeda said that the early years funding shortfall had risen by almost £50m in the past year to £662m. As many as one in five nurseries in deprived areas of England are facing closure due to this shortfall. The research released this week by the agency estimates that if the Conservative Party win the 12 December general election the deficit could rise to at least £824m. Read more.