FAMILY-FRIENDLY BENEFITS
Childcare costs continue to escalate
Childcare costs for pre-school children in England continue to rise steadily, according to the sixth annual survey by the Daycare Trust.
A typical full-time nursery place for a child under two is now £152 a week, compared with £144 last year, a rise of almost 6%.
Key survey results
The highest childcare costs were found in London and the South East, where typical costs were in the region of £180 to £200 a week, but parents paying the highest reported costs could face a bill of £400 a week, almost £21,000 a year.
The lowest nursery costs were in the Midlands, while the lowest childminder costs in the northwest.
In contrast to the rising costs of nurseries and childminders, the cost of out of school clubs had dropped by 7% on last year, with typical costs of £38 for 15 hours a week. The lowest costs for out of school clubs were found in inner London, reversing the trend of high costs usually found in the capital.
%ADVERT%
Want to know more?
Title: Annual Survey of the Cost of Childcare 2006, Daycare Trust.
Methodology: The figures were compiled from a survey of 122 out of 172 Children's and Childcare Information Services in Great Britain.
Availability: You can read the survey report online at www.daycaretrust.org.uk/article.php?sid=292
A separate survey for Scotland is available at www.daycaretrust.org.uk/article.php?sid=294
Daycare Trust is a national childcare charity, campaigning for "quality affordable accessible childcare for all and raising the voices of children, parents and carers". It advises parents and carers, providers, employers, trade unions and policymakers on childcare issues. Daycare Trust runs a childcare helpline (tel: 020 7840 3350) for parents with access to Language Line interpreters for non-English speakers, open for calls Monday to Friday, 10 am to 5 pm. For more information visit www.daycaretrust.org.uk