Childcare policy would 'hold back' single parents

The Government's new childcare policy discriminates against the lowest earners and will hold many single parents back from going to work, a charity has warned.

Gingerbread is concerned that the plan for childcare support under Universal Credit creates a two-tier system which leaves the lowest earners with the least support and that planned increases to the personal tax allowance will only exacerbate the issue.

The charity is urging Chancellor George Osborne to rethink the plans, which it says will discriminate against parents whose earnings are below the income tax threshold.