In 2009 the States introduced the Nursery Education Fund (NEF) to provide parents with 20 free hours a week of private nursery care for their children in the year before they start school, however, in March this year the Education Minister, Deputy Rod Bryans, announced that his department would be scrapping this provision for households who earn a combined income of £75,000 or more from September 2017.
Challenged by parents at an Education and Home Affairs Scrutiny public meeting in April, Deputy Bryans said the plans to bring in the cuts from next year were ‘not final’.
And on Monday, his department revealed revised plans that would only means test parents earning a combined income of £85,000 and above, with the new proposals outlining that for every additional £5,000 that parents earn beyond the new threshold, the number of free nursery hours their child will be entitled to will drop by five per week. Those earning £100,000 or more will not be entitled to any free nursery hours for their children.
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