Parents face hike in nursery fees as providers struggle to bring in Tories’ free childcare

Get the free Morning Headlines email for news from our reporters across the world Sign up to our free Morning Headlines email Sign up to our free Morning Headlines email SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. open image in gallery Mandy Blazey says she feels no better off since taking up free childcare for her son Reuben The 34-year-old, whose son is in nursery year-round, said: “Parents can’t simply afford to go back to full-time work because the cost of childcare is too expensive even with the free hours. He added: “Nurseries, childminders and preschools are doing their best both to deliver enough places to meet demand and to ensure that costs are affordable for parents, yet under the expansion this is an uphill battle which is only getting steeper.” At Mericourt Nursery in Preston, owner Barkha Rani put up hourly prices for children by 10 per cent in April but she is still oversubscribed for September, having turned around 50 parents away. She said: “Some parents, they know the prices will rise but with others it is hard because you see how it impacts them.” The NDNA said the funding of free childcare places had been historically lower than the nursery costs, with its survey earlier this year revealing 83 per cent of providers saying the hourly rate for three- and four-year-olds was not enough. These places are not fully funded and have never been free for either providers or parents” With a 1,400 drop in the number of childcare providers from March 2023 to March this year, a report by the Local Government Association published last week found 25 per cent of authorities were not “very confident” they had enough spaces for the rollout of free childcare spaces on Monday.