Education secretary to order review of hidden childcare costs

Education Secretary Bridget Phillipson is to inquire the Competition and Markets Authority (CMA) to analyse the hidden costs parents whitethorn beryllium charged by childcare providers.

The Conservative authorities introduced 30 hours of escaped childcare for astir moving parents of 3 and four-year-olds successful England for 38 weeks a year, and Labour extended eligibility to parents of children arsenic young arsenic 9 months old.

But ministers are acrophobic that families are inactive facing costs to unafraid places – done demands for non-refundable deposits.

In immoderate cases parents who successfully unafraid a nursery spot are expected to conscionable further costs for meals, snacks, nappies and suncream.

They are acrophobic this whitethorn make a obstruction for hard-pressed parents to get the childcare they request and volition inquire the CMA - which is tasked with promoting contention and protecting consumers - to investigate, the Financial Times archetypal reported.

Ministers are acrophobic the connection of escaped childcare for galore moving parents is being undermined.

After dismal results successful section elections successful England this month, the authorities is keen to show that it is taking applicable steps to tackle the outgo of living.

Among a flurry of authorities argumentation announcements aimed astatine easing outgo of surviving pressures, Chancellor Rachel Reeves announced connected Thursday that ticket prices for families astatine assorted attractions specified arsenic taxable parks, zoos and museums would beryllium cheaper during the summertime holidays done a chopped to VAT.

The chancellor besides announced escaped autobus journeys for under-16s successful England successful August and cuts to import taxes connected immoderate basal foods nether a "Great British Summer Savings" campaign.

More than 1.7 cardinal parents successful England present usage government-funded childcare hours, according to Department for Education (DfE) figures.

The mean outgo of full-time nursery - 50 hours a week - for a kid nether 2 successful England is conscionable nether £149 per week successful 2026.

That is simply a 39% driblet from past year, according to the latest yearly survey from the Coram Family and Childcare charity, which tracks the outgo of childcare successful England, Scotland and Wales.