Parents paying £500 a month for childcare

Parents in Scotland are paying almost £500 for childcare with most admitting to problems meeting the costs, an official report has found.

The Scottish Government is planning to double free childcare from the current 600 hours to 1140 hours - the equivalent of the Primary week - by the end of the decade.

But a study into the attitudes of parents finds there is not enough “flexibility” in current provision, with more than half (54 per cent) paying for some of the childcare they use.

“These parents spend an average of £494 per month for all children under 6,” the report stated.

The “lack of flexibility” is of most concern, including to parents who can’t afford private provision, single working parents and those whose family can’t help with childcare.