The UK government is today expected to announce it will extend its free childcare policy to parents of children aged one and two.
With Chancellor Jeremy Hunt poised ready to deliver his first Budget of 2023 at 12:30pm today, it has already been revealed ahead of time, according to multiple national news outlets, that a £4 billion support package will be unveiled to help parents and guardians cope with the cost of childcare as the cost of living crisis continues.
The government‘s plan is believed to include 30 hours a week of free childcare for families in England with children in that age group.
At present, only parents with children aged three and four are currently eligible.
Childcare has been a topic of much discussion in recent weeks, after it was revealed that UK childcare costs are among some of the most expensive in the world – with full-time nursery fees for a child under two coming in at an average of £269 a week last year, which is equivalent to around £14,000 annually.
ADVERTISEMENT
Government set to announce free childcare for children aged one and two / Credit: Tanaphong Toochinda & Ryan Fields (via Unsplash)
The Early Years Alliance also warned last week that nursery fees are predicted to increase even further and higher than in previous years – going up by an average of 8%.
Currently, all families of children aged three and four are entitled to 15 hours of free childcare a week, over 38 weeks, while households in England can qualify for 30 hours of free childcare a week if parents earn the equivalent of 16 hours a week at the national minimum or living wage.
ADVERTISEMENT
But the Chancellor is promising to extend this further in his Budget later today.
On top of the expected plans to extend the government’s free childcare offering, Mr Hunt could also be announcing a £288 million increase in funding for the current free childcare programme for three-year-olds by 2024-25, according to The Guardian, as well as addressing the issues raised over staffing numbers at childcare facilites nationwide.
Chancellor Jeremy Hunt is unveiling his first Budget of 2023 today / Credit: Flickr
In response to the reports of an expected funding boost, the Early Alliance’s Chief Executive, Neil Leitch, agrees that while it initially appears positive, “the devil is in the detail”.
ADVERTISEMENT
“We know that the sector is facing its most challenging time in decades,” Mr Leitch said.
“Settings are closing at record levels, there is a severe recruitment and retention crisis, and costs continue to soar.
“Unless the government puts in safeguards to ensure that funding for all early entitlement offers continues to meet the sharply rising costs of delivering places, not only now but in the future, what is currently a crisis will end up in catastrophe.”
The Chancellor has come under pressure in recent weeks to act on childcare, and respond with an offer to rival Labour’s plan for radical overhaul after the next General Election.
While The Treasury has already announced plans to increase the £646-a-month cap on support for parents on Universal Credit by several hundred pounds, and pay the support up front instead of parents having to claim it back, opposition parties and critics are still demanding more be done by the Conservative government.
Pair jailed after filming themselves driving over 130mph before killing man in fatal Manchester collision
Emily Sergeant
Two men who filmed themselves driving at speeds of over 130mph before a fatal collision earlier this year have now been jailed.
20-year-old Uways Hussain, of Marley Road in Manchester, has been sentenced to 11 years and eight months in prison, while 23-year-old Usmon Mahmood, of Buller Road in Manchester, has been sentenced to 12 years and nine months.
Their sentences follow a night of what Greater Manchester Police (GMP) called ‘dangerous driving’ around the South Manchester area, which started at around 11pm on the evening before the collision.
The vehicle – a Volkswagon Golf – belonged to Mahmood, but he allowed Hussain to drive the vehicle at high-speed throughout the night.
On the evening prior to the collision, beginning at around 11pm, Hussain and Mahmood were driving recklessly around the South Manchester area.
According to police, the pair filmed themselves consistently travelling at speeds of over 100mph on 30mph roads, and in several cases, theyvreached over 130mph and seconds before impact, were recorded at 139mph.
Recorded footage also showed them running red lights and weaving through traffic with no regard for the safety of other road users or pedestrians.
At one stage during the night, the pair stopped at a petrol station, where footage shows Mahmood inhaling from a balloon in the passenger seat, while later o Hussain can be seen doing over 100mph and also appearing to be inhaling from a balloon while driving.
The fatal collision happened at around 4:36am on Monday 9 March 2026 at the junction of Green End Road and Kingsway, where the victim – Sylvester Abayomi, 50 – was on his way to work and entered the junction on a green light, believing it was safe to proceed, but was then struck by the car being driven by Hussain, which had travelled through a red light at extremely high speed.
Sylvester Abayomi / Credit: GMP
Immediately following the collision, GMP received several emergency calls and an automatic alert from Hussain’s Apple Watch saying he had been involved in a collision.
During this alert, both men could be heard discussing plans to flee the scene and attempting to decide what evidence they needed to remove from the vehicle. They were also heard discussing reporting the vehicle as stolen, and shortly afterwards, they booked an Uber to escape.
Emergency services attended the scene, but sadly, despite their best efforts, Sylvester sustained fatal injuries and was pronounced dead.
GMP says it received its first report of the incident at 4:37am,, and within 12 minutes the pair had been located, caught, and arrested by officers.
DC Thomas Johnson, from GMP’s Serious Collision Investigation Unit, described the incident as ‘one of the most extreme cases of dangerous driving we have encountered’.
It’s also believed that this is one of the first times in the country where a passenger has been convicted for aid and abetting causing death by dangerous driving.
Featured Image – GMP
News
Stockport band Blossoms set for BIG return to Leeds Festival this year
Thomas Melia
Blossoms have just announced their big return to Leeds Festival, as the four-day music event continues to impress with its stacked lineup.
They might have a ‘Joke About Divorce’ from time to time, but when it comes to entertaining a Leeds Festival crowd, Blossoms take it very seriously, having played at Bramham Park three times in the past decade already.
The Stockport band have captivated audiences since the rise of standout track ‘Charlemagne’ and more recently with the addition of their fifth studio album, Gary, named after an eight-foot fiberglass gorilla.
Known for always putting on a stellar performance, Tom, Joe, Charlie, Myles, and Josh are bringing a brand-new set to Leeds when they visit this August bank holiday weekend.
As well as releasing new music, Blossoms are making a big return to Leeds Festival 2026 / Credit: Publicity Picture (Supplied)
Currently, Leeds Festival 2026 has seven headline acts spanning all genres from Dance and EDM to Pop and Rap with the likes of Charli XCX, Raye, Dave and more topping the bill.
The Stockport five-piece are featured alongside three other insane artists as ‘Special Guests’, appearing next to Skepta, Sombr and Role Model.
Also listed on the lineup are rising stars like R&B vocal powerhouse Skye Newman, pop princess Jade, Merseyside indie rockers The K’s and Wigan-formed The Lilacs with more to be announced.
Although nothing is confirmed yet, this upcoming Leeds Festival set from Blossoms will contain high energy and obviously all their biggest and best bangers from across their four chart topping albums as well as new music.
Whether you’re there for ‘Your Girlfriend’ or ‘What Can I Say After I’m Sorry’, one thing’s for sure, you’re guaranteed to have an absolutely spectacular night.
Blossoms are making their big return to Leeds Festival 2026 which is taking place from 27 to 30 August at Bramham Park with tickets live HERE.
Emily Sergeant -
15th March 2023 
