The Conservative party announced that it plans on doubling free childcare and scraping income tax for those on the minimum wage, should it win the general election on May 7.
David Cameron pledged that the party would increase free care for three- and four-year-olds to 30 hours a week, which he said would save parents £2,500 a year.
It would be paid for by cutting tax relief on pension contributions for those earning over £150,000.
Cameron’s pledge of 30 hours of free childcare a week for 3 and 4 year-olds was unexpected.
Launching the Conservative party’s manifesto in Swindon, Mr Cameron said:
“A good life should mean that raising your family feels like an incredible, joyful, and sometimes exhausting journey. But it shouldn’t be a permanent struggle with the bills.
“That is why our second commitment to working people is on childcare. For families with young children, this is not one issue among many – it is the issue.
“They’re asking: how can we make this work? How can we afford it? It shouldn’t have to be this way. Because of the changes we have made to curb pension relief for the highest earners, we can afford to make the following commitment.
“We are going to take that free childcare – and for working families, we will double it. With a Conservative government, you will get 30 hours of free childcare a week, equivalent to £5,000 a year.
“So we say to the working parents of three and four year olds: Five thousand pounds of savings for you, only with five more years of Conservatives in government.”
The offer will only be available to working families where both parents in the household work at least eight hours a week.
No income tax for people on minimum wage
The Prime Minister also revealed that people on minimum wage – working for up to 30 hours a week – would not have to pay income tax.
In his speech Cameron said that the pledge “means we can proudly say that this is the party of working people for millions of workers… not just the party of low income tax… the party of no income tax.”
He said that the Conservative party would give the country a “better, more secure future”.
