The Childcare (Free of Charge for Working Parents) (England) (Amendment) Regulations 2025
Source: legislation.gov.uk (2025-12-10)

These Regulations, which come into force on 31st December 2025, amend the Childcare (Miscellaneous Amendments) (Inspection Outcomes) Regulations 2025 (S.I. 2025/1261) (the “principal Regulations”) to correct a drafting error in regulation 5(4) of those Regulations before they come into force on 1st January 2026.

This Statutory Instrument has been made in consequence of a defect in S.I. 2025/1261 (\"http://www.legislation.gov.uk/id/uksi/2025/1261\") and is being issued free of charge to all known recipients of that Statutory Instrument.

Statutory Instruments

2025 No. 1287

CHILDCARE, ENGLAND

LOCAL AUTHORITIES, ENGLAND

The Childcare (Free of Charge for Working Parents) (England) (Amendment) Regulations 2025

Made

9th December 2025

Laid before Parliament

10th December 2025

Coming into force

31st December 2025

The Secretary of State makes these Regulations in exercise of the powers conferred by sections 2(1) and (2)(b) and 4(2)(c) of the Childcare Act 2016(1 (\"#f00001\")).

Citation, commencement and extent

1. These Regulations—

(a)may be cited as the Childcare (Free of Charge for Working Parents) (England) (Amendment) Regulations 2025,

(b)come into force on 31st December 2025, and

(c)extend to England and Wales.

Amendment of the Childcare (Miscellaneous Amendments) (Inspection Outcomes) (England) Regulations 2025

2.—(1) The Childcare (Miscellaneous Amendments) (Inspection Outcomes) (England) Regulations 2025(2 (\"#f00002\")) are amended in accordance with paragraph (2).

(2) In regulation 5 (amendment of the Childcare (Free of Charge for Working Parents) (England) Regulations 2022(3 (\"#f00003\"))), for paragraph (4) substitute—

“(4) In regulation 44 (duty to secure childcare available free of charge), in paragraph (3), omit sub-paragraphs (a) and (b) and the em dash which precedes them.”.

Olivia Bailey

Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State (Minister for Early Education)

Department for Education

9th December 2025

Explanatory Note

(This note is not part of the Regulations)

These Regulations, which come into force on 31st December 2025, amend the Childcare (Miscellaneous Amendments) (Inspection Outcomes) Regulations 2025 (S.I. 2025/1261 (\"http://www.legislation.gov.uk/id/uksi/2025/1261\")) (the “principal Regulations”) to correct a drafting error in regulation 5(4) of those Regulations before they come into force on 1st January 2026.

These Regulations are being issued free of charge to all known recipients of the principal Regulations.

Regulation 5(4) of the principal Regulations amends regulation 44 of the Childcare (Free of Charge for Working Parents) (England) Regulations 2022 (S.I. 2022/1134 (\"http://www.legislation.gov.uk/id/uksi/2022/1134\")) (the “2022 Regulations”). Regulation 5(4) is amended by this instrument so that, instead of omitting the whole of paragraph (3) of regulation 44 of the 2022 Regulations, that paragraph is amended to omit redundant transitional provision in sub-paragraphs (a) and (b).

A full impact assessment has not been produced for this instrument as no, or no significant, impact on the private, voluntary or public sector is foreseen.

(1)

2016 c. 5 (\"http://www.legislation.gov.uk/id/ukpga/2016/5\").

(2)

S.I. 2025/1261 (\"http://www.legislation.gov.uk/id/uksi/2025/1261\").

(3)

S.I. 2022/1134 (\"http://www.legislation.gov.uk/id/uksi/2022/1134\"). Relevant amendments were made by S.I. 2023/1330 (\"http://www.legislation.gov.uk/id/uksi/2023/1330\").