Hull and North East Lincolnshire cash offer to boost childcare worker numbers

By September 2025, all eligible pre-school children of working parents will be able to access 30 hours of childcare during term time

A £1,000 cash incentive is being offered by councils to recruit extra nursery workers and childminders.

Hull and North East Lincolnshire are among 19 authorities taking part in a government-funded pilot scheme.

About 300 additional workers are needed in Hull, the authority has said.

A spokesperson said they hoped the pilot would "encourage new recruits to train in Hull, as well as encourage more people to return to the childcare sector".

By September 2025, all eligible pre-school children of working parents, from the age of nine months, will be able to access 30 hours of childcare during term time.

The pilot, which runs until the end of 2024, would see the cash bonus being offered to eligible new recruits who have qualified and worked a full 12 weeks, Hull City Council said.

The number of childcare providers has been falling nationally

Pauline Turner, the director of children and family services at Hull City Council, said: "We are committed to doing everything we can to ensure we meet demand locally, supporting our providers so that they can continue providing good quality childcare support for those in Hull who are entitled to it.

"We encourage anybody considering a career in childcare to start now, there's never been a better time."

The offer comes at a time when the number of childcare providers is falling, mainly because of childminders leaving the profession, although the number of childcare places remains relatively stable.

The Department for Education said it was investing £4.9m into the national scheme, which would provide up to 3,000 new starters and returners across the country.