Conservative Party leader Kemi Badenoch has told the BBC the party will move to abolish what she described as a "cliff edge" in childcare support that kicks in at a £100,000 income level. Badenoch said the change is intended to ensure people who increase their earnings are not punished for doing so.
She framed the pledge as part of the party's broader emphasis on rewarding work, arguing that sudden loss of support when a household crosses a specific income threshold can act as a disincentive to boost earnings. "We want to make sure people who work harder don't get punished for doing so," Badenoch told the broadcaster.
The announcement puts the issue of childcare support thresholds at the centre of the Conservative message on work and incentives. Details about how the party would redesign the threshold, the timing of any changes, and the cost of the proposal have not been set out in the BBC interview.
The move adds to ongoing debates about how to structure family support and childcare policy so it is both affordable for families and fiscally sustainable. Any concrete proposals would need to be balanced against wider public spending priorities and will likely attract scrutiny from opposition parties and independent analysts.
Badenoch's remarks come as political parties continue to pitch policies aimed at addressing the cost of childcare and barriers to work. Further specifics on implementation and impact are expected if the Conservatives make the proposal part of a formal policy platform.