One in seven nurseries nationally believe they will lose money this year as a result of tax increases, according to a National Day Nurseries Association (NDNA) poll of 730 facilities. Higher NICs will require nurseries to hike fees by an average of 10 per cent, making childcare in the UK even more expensive for many parents. According to the NDNA, the government will cover 80 per cent of childcare costs in England starting in September, but they are "unwilling" to pay a reasonable amount.
The NDNA estimates that while nursery staffing expenses will rise by an average of 15 per cent, childcare funding rates will only rise by an average of four per cent. In a statement, Purnima Tanuku, the chief executive at NDNA said: “Simply put, if the sector’s most significant customer is not paying their fair share, nurseries have to find this money from somewhere else or close their doors.”.
But what is the average cost of childcare in England and how does that compare with other countries?. Cost of part-time care is up 7.7 per cent from £150.89 a week in 2023, while full-time care has increased by 6.4 per cent from £146.00 in 2023. Childcare in the UK is expensive partly due to the childcare ratio of one adult to a maximum of three under-twos. But the support available in the UK is also not generous compared with other countries.
![[London parents face the highest childcare costs in the country]](https://static.standard.co.uk/2022/09/06/00/0454e255d69aa857f915adaf45953142Y29udGVudHNlYXJjaGFwaSwxNjYyNDcwMjkx-2.25326059.jpg?crop=8:5,smart&quality=75&auto=webp&width=960)
The only countries that are more expensive are Switzerland and New Zealand. For couples earning 67 per cent of the average wage, the UK is the most expensive country for childcare, alongside the Czech Republic and Cyprus. For couples earning the minimum wage, the UK is the second-most expensive country, after the Czech Republic. Nordic countries are considered to be among the best countries in the world for childcare.
![[Raising the kids: Can Britain afford the increasing costs of parenthood?]](https://static.standard.co.uk/2022/07/26/13/adult-g8d5f43249_1920.jpg?crop=8:5,smart&quality=75&auto=webp&width=960)
In Norway, preschools charge a maximum of £200 per month. In Sweden, parents receive around £85 per month to help with childcare costs, which usually cost about £100 per month. Working parents will be eligible for 30 hours of government-funded childcare per week by September 2025, which will cover 38 weeks of the year, from nine months until the child starts school. A £204 million nursery cash boost was also announced in the 2023 spring Budget to increase funding for early years entitlements.
![[Treasury considering expanding free childcare - report ]](https://static.standard.co.uk/2021/10/11/00/9b2a576f88c412c76ae839ddc7fa798eY29udGVudHNlYXJjaGFwaSwxNjMzNzk1MTAw-2.61946100.jpg?crop=8:5,smart&quality=75&auto=webp&width=960)
