Help with childcare costs in England
Information on the support available for help with childcare costs and the Government’s proposals for reform.

The Higher Education Green Paper published on 6 November 2015 makes proposals to reform the higher education system. The paper proposes introducing the Teaching Excellence Framework to assess teaching quality in higher education institutions and reward those with excellent teaching. It will also introduce a single entry route into higher education to level the playing field between public providers and private providers, strengthen activities around access to higher education and abolish the Higher Education Funding Council for England and replace it with a new body the Office for Students. The consultation on the Green Paper closes on 15 January 2016 and it is anticipated that a higher education bill will follow.
Higher Education Green Paper 2015 Fulfilling Our Potential (5 MB , PDF)
The Green Paper, Fulfilling Our Potential, published on 6 November 2015 set out proposals to:
The paper has been generally welcomed by commentators in the sector, particularly the paper’s emphasis on widening participation and social mobility. The proposals on the TEF and opening up the market to new higher education providers however have caused some concern.
Responses to the paper must be received by 15 January 2016. The paper will be followed by a Technical Consultation document giving details on the proposals and guidance on removing barriers to entry to the higher education sector which will be published in summer 2016.
Higher education is a devolved matter so most of the proposals in the Green Paper apply to England only. However, funding delivered through the research councils and some broader elements of research policy are reserved matters, so the proposals on research funding apply across the UK.
Higher Education Green Paper 2015 Fulfilling Our Potential (5 MB , PDF)
Information on the support available for help with childcare costs and the Government’s proposals for reform.
There will be a Westminster Hall debate on the impact of increases in the cost of living on further and higher education students on Tuesday 19 September at 4:30pm. This is a one hour debate sponsored by Paul Blomfield MP.
A briefing paper on the history, functions and membership of the Privy Council