PA
The Chancellor George Osborne is to announce the creation of more than 250,000 free nursery places for two year olds in his autumn statement budget today.
The free nursery or childcare provisions will be offered in an attempt to help mums get back into the work place, and, reportedly, to help make the Coalition government a more appealing choice for female voters, angered by the closure of Sure Start centres and child benefit cuts.
Mr Osborne will outline the £650 million scheme which will provide free 'early education' for around 260,000 two-year-olds, with the funding distributed by local authorities, and aimed mainly at low income families.
Currently, all three and four-year-olds are entitled to 15 hours of free nursery education for 38 weeks of the year.
Will this new scheme help you?
Or do you worry your local nursery will not be able to cope with the added demand for places?