Few parents take up offer of employers' vouchers

The research, carried out by childcare specialist Sodexo Pass, found that most of the 1,189 parents surveyed who had access to a vouchers scheme at work had not taken it up because they thought that applying was too much hassle or they said they did not have time to apply.

The research also revealed that most parents had no idea that they could save around £2,000 a year on childcare costs, if both parents were working. A quarter of parents believed that the vouchers would save them less than £500 per year.

Iain Mcmath, managing director of Sodexo Pass, said, 'It takes just 15 minutes to apply for childcare vouchers online - time well spent when you could be saving a significant amount of money.'

Meanwhile, another childcare voucher company has reported a five-fold increase in the number of companies signing up to its childcare voucher scheme in just two months, from November to January. Early Years Vouchers has attributed the increase to the rising cost of living and the current recession.

Amanda Ward, director of Early Years Vouchers, said, 'We've seen a big increase in company sign-ons because employers and employees alike are using every avenue available to save money. The figures show just how financially beneficial it can be to take a few minutes to learn about these schemes. We've helped parents save over £2m in just one year and I believe that number will continue to increase.'