Parents are paying more for childcare
PARENTS are paying 5% more for childcare for under-twos than a year ago, a report has found.
The findings suggest that childcare costs are rising faster than price increases generally, with the Consumer Prices Index (CPI) measure of inflation standing at 1.8% in January.
Parents are now paying an average of £131.61 per week for a child aged under two, or over £6,800 per year, for a part-time nursery place, according to charity Coram Family and Childcare’s 20th annual childcare survey.
The survey is based on data from 175 local authorities gathered between November 2019 and January 2020. It found that on average across Britain, 25 hours of nursery care for a child under two costs 5% more than it did a year ago.
The survey also found that parents face a “postcode lottery” with childcare prices and availability varying significantly depending on where families live.
The most expensive regions were found to be London and the South East, where the cost of a part-time nursery place for a child under two is £165.47 and £144.90 per week respectively.
The average price for families using an after school club for five days per week across Britain was found to be £60.99 per week.
The report argued that while support, subsidies and free entitlements are available to many families, the system is too complicated – which can leave parents at risk of missing out on help they are entitled to.
It made several suggestions, including increasing the maximum amount of childcare costs paid under Universal Credit and moving to up-front payments for childcare.
Claire Harding, head of Coram Family and Childcare, said: “Good childcare is essential: it enables parents to work and boosts children’s learning.
“But for far too many families in the UK, it just isn’t working. Recent Government investment is welcome, but many families still face crippling costs, especially in the period from the end of parental leave to when a child turns three.
“Investing in childcare supports is good for us all because it helps parents to work now, and boosts children’s learning and skills for our future.”
I HAVE joined forces with Mumbles councillor Myles Langstone to seek an urgent meeting with Lloyds Bank bosses to discuss their plans to close the local branch.
I am afraid it’s a case of here we go again. The banks seem to be taking it in turns to shut down branches in Wales, and Mumbles has already lost HSBC and Natwest. It now only has Lloyds and a Barclays branch which is open part time. This is a vibrant community where a number of new shops have opened including Marks and Spencer.
The banks seem intent on depriving communities of banking facilities despite the fact people will still need access to their money through the branches and, more importantly, through the ATMs which also close when the branch goes.
Myles and I both feel that this bank closure is running against the tide in Mumbles where people are excited about the new businesses moving here. As traders and businesses are opening up, the banks seem to be closing down. They argue that more and more people are going online but that is a consequence of their own policies, which for years have driven people away from using their branches by closing them down or restricting hours. It’s almost a self-fulfilling prophecy.
It is also very disappointing that those people who transferred their business to Lloyds when the other banks closed are being let down again and abandoned by Lloyds.
We must not take this lying down.
People must protest at yet another cut to services which they have enjoyed for generations.