Grants of up to £6,800 to support parents with 'crippling' childcare cost

PARENTS in the south of County Durham will be the first to get access to a new grant to help with the “crippling” cost of childcare.

- DANIEL HOLLAND

Families in areas like Bishop Auckland, Spennymoor and Newton Aycliffe will be able to apply for up to £6,800 under a new programme being launched by North East mayor Kim McGuinness.

Her Mayor's Childcare Grant, will open as a test project in County Durham later this month, is intended to help more parents who want to get into work or increase their working hours but would face major childcare costs in order to do so.

The North East Combined Authority (NECA) said that the money would be prioritised to single parents with at least one child under five and that it could be used flexibly to pay for things like meals and nappies, which are often chargeable whilst in childcare.

The test phase of the grant project will be delivered by Durham County Council and the scheme is expected to be rolled out more widely across the council this year, before being extended more widely around the North East in 2026.