I am a single parent who went back to work full-time when my son was born. I get no financial or emotional help from his father whatsoever. I have applied for child tax credits and help with childcare to be told that as I earn a 'decent taxable salary' I would not get much help but after I have paid rent, council tax and bills I am not left with enough to pay for fulltime childcare, do I either not pay rent or council tax or not eat? I think that David Cameron needs to look at bringing down the age of free nursery hours to 18 mths - 2 years for all working single parents as this would be a great help, instead of paying a single parent who stays at home £1000 approx a month (including rent and council tax) he should be helping those who want to work and then we may get more mothers back to work which in the scheme of things will cost him a lot less - it doesn't take an idiot to work out the sums does it!