Coronavirus: Parents shocked as nurseries demand full fees despite being closed during pandemic

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. “Families should not be pushed into unnecessary hardship by having to pay fees for nurseries that are closed,” she says, while asking education secretary Gavin Williamson to offer enough financial support to ensure child care institutions can survive the crisis without continuing to charge full fees. “Nurseries provide a vital leg of our welfare state – giving children the best start in life and helping parents get out to work,” she says. “While I agree that some fees do need to be charged in order to pay their staff and rent, I don’t agree that they should be charging full fees,” she writes. Purnima Tanuku, its chief executive, said: “Childcare providers need to ensure they have enough income to keep the business running and be able to re-open with a full complement of staff once all parents can go back to work.” She added: “Nurseries are vital now as ever to support children of key workers and vulnerable children so we need them to be staffed and operational.