BORIS Johnson today strongly hinted a shake-up in childcare support is coming to help ease the strain on squeezed families.
At a special cost of living Cabinet, the PM singled out the plight of parents struggling to juggle jobs and looking after their kids.
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He said there was “more to do” to help mums and dads in a big suggestion that extra cash could be on the way.
Ministers were told to go back to their offices and come up with bright ideas to help fix the cost of living crisis.
Downing Street today said the PM will then discuss the ideas in the coming weeks at a special meeting.
The PM’s official spokesman said: “The Prime Minister will chair a domestic and economic strategy committee in the coming weeks to finalise the proposals before they are brought into force.
“He said there was more to do, including in areas like childcare, to further ease pressures for those who need it most and to get even more people into high-skilled, high-wage jobs.
But No10 kept tight-lipped about what specific childcare measures would be brought in.
Asked to expand, the spokesman said: “I think all I can say is that this is an area where the Government recognises there is more to do.
“It is live policy work taking place and I’m sure we’ll have more to say in the future.”
Ministers are also considering reducing the cost of fuel by cutting the small tariffs that remain on refined oil products.
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It is hoped that this could knock a little off today’s record energy bills.
The cost of branded clothes and electrical goods — such as smartphones and tablets — could also be slashed by tearing up red tape to allow more “parallel imports” from abroad.
This would let consumers buy branded goods directly from countries where they are cheaper rather than Britain.
Millions of parents and pensioners will also be told they could be up to £3,300 better off every year if they claim the benefits to which they are entitled.
Currently, 1.3million families do not take up the offer of up to £2,000 a year towards childcare costs.
And around 850,000 OAPs are not drawing their pension credit which could be worth more than £3,300 a year.
Proposals to ban Buy One Get One Free supermarket offers are also expected to be ditched.
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