TUC 2025: Bridget Phillipson’s commitment to extending childcare and delivering the Employment Rights Bill welcomed by Usdaw

After the address, which was received with a standing ovation from delegates, the Secretary of State for Education took a series of questions. Usdaw rep Renata Burlingham asked: “The Government has made welcome progress on expanding childcare provision, but it remains very difficult for low-paid workers in sectors like retail and distribution to access affordable childcare. Will the Government develop a longer-term plan to make childcare universally available to all families.”

Bridget Phillipson responded: “I am so proud of what we are achieving already, in terms of expanding childcare. Both in terms of the hours available to parents, but also through expanding school-based nurseries, often in some of our most deprived communities where families will struggle to access childcare. I completely recognise the challenge about making sure we have a simpler more straightforward system for all parents and through our recently published ‘Best start in life’ strategy, that’s what I’ve committed to doing.

“I do recognise the additional challenges and barriers that staff will face, often shift workers in some of the sectors that you mentioned. That also has to go hand-in-hand with the better rights at work that we will deliver through the Employment Rights Bill. Also more flexible working opportunities and rights from day one, because we know it’s often women who lose out when they aren’t available. We know it’s often women who give up their jobs when childcare isn’t there, where they can’t get the place. I’m so proud of what we’ve achieved so far, I made early years provision for working women my priority. There is a lot to do and we’ll do it together.”

Commenting after the session, Joanne Thomas – Usdaw general secretary says: “We are very pleased that Bridget has given a strong commitment, on behalf of the Government, to delivering the Employment Rights Bill in full. That’s the reassurance that Congress was looking for. Bridget’s record on delivery in childcare since taking office has been exceptional and we very much welcome her commitment to go further. 

“Usdaw members have long struggled to secure hours of work that fit around childcare. We are campaigning for 30 funded hours of flexible childcare for all pre-school age children, raising awareness of free entitlements and benefits that support working parents and meeting the upfront costs for low-income families. So we look forward to building on Labour’s record of delivery for working parents.”