A HUMILIATED Philip Hammond was accused of reneging on another manifesto promise last night after Budget documents revealed setbacks over free childcare places.

Details buried in official papers showed the supply of places was predicted to “rise more slowly than originally assumed”.

4 Budget documents reveal problems with delivering the 30 hours free childcare manifesto pledge Credit: Getty Images

The admission stoked more fears over the launch of the troubled flagship 30 hours free childcare policy due to be launched in September.

More than half of councils are unsure they’ll have enough places for three and four year olds.

The childcare pledge – listed in the Tories 2015 manifesto - would save parents around £5,000 a year.

4 Hammond is coming under increasing pressure for broken manifesto promises Credit: Fame Flynet

But it has been plagued with claims it’s underfunded with only a third of local authorities confident they have enough places.

Last night Labour’s Shadow Education Secretary Angela Rayner said it was yet another failure from the Tories under their manifesto pledge.

She said: “The cost of childcare has rocketed under the Tories and their promises to offer free hours have completely fallen flat.

“First we saw delay after delay to the tax free childcare, and the extra free hours offer has been plagued with problems because the Tories have failed to fund it properly.

4 Angela Rayner insists the cost of childcare has rocketed under the Tories Credit: Getty Images

“Now there will be even fewer places available, so more children and their families will be losing out.”

Last night the Family and Childcare Trust called for a “robust” Government strategy to better meet the needs of parents.

Deputy chief executive Ellen Broome said: “While we welcome Government’s investment in childcare, we are not surprised that there is uncertainty about how many families will benefit from the extension of free childcare.

“This popular policy could leave many families disappointed if places are not available.”

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A Government spokesman said a £50m cash injection would create nearly 9,000 places for eligible children with a further £1bn for early years education.

He said: “As set out in our manifesto, we are on track to deliver 30 hours free childcare to working parents of three and four year olds.

“More than 4,000 parents are already benefitting from this offer in eight pilot areas, and the commitment is being rolled out nationwide from September.”

4 Lib Dem's John Pugh has branded the figures 'a scandal' Credit: Alamy

It comes as official figures show the number of childminders in England has plummeted by almost a quarter in the last five years.

There are now only 44,000 childminders officially registered compared to 58,000 back in 2011.

The drop puts further pressure on hard-pressed parents trying to find childcare and will come as an extra blow to the Tory Government’s claims to support ordinary hard working families.

Lib Dem spokesman John Pugh said the figures were a “scandal” and the alternative high cost of nursery childcare meant mums were left “effectively working full-time for just a couple of pounds a week”.