Charities seek to gauge impact of rising childcare costs

The survey, which is being sent to 70,000 parents, will look at the rising cost of childcare and how it is impacting on parents’ home and working lives.

It is hoped the survey will establish to what extent the high cost of childcare is a barrier to work. The findings will be presented to the government.

With an average full time nursery bill for families of £177 a week, the charities say that those with an income below £12,000 are being priced out of the childcare market.

Low-income families have also been hit by a reduction in childcare costs covered by working tax credits from a maximum of 80 per cent to 70 per cent.

Save the Children head of UK policy Sally Copley said: "Childcare is so expensive it’s becoming a luxury that only families earning a very good wage can comfortably afford. For families on low incomes they simply won’t earn enough to cover their childcare bill as well as living costs, effectively pricing the poorest families out of work."

She added that the charities hope the survey will reveal the impact of childcare costs on Britain’s families so the government can better understand the barrier such costs create.

Anand Shukla, acting chief executive of Daycare Trust, added: "Our research shows that childcare costs have risen every year for the past ten years. We know that childcare is expensive but we need to know how much of a barrier it is to parents being able to find or keep a job." 

The survey is being sent out through childcare providers and can also be accessed via Save the Children’s website: www.savethechildren.org.uk/childcare