Childcare costs

Childcare costs in England, Wales and Scotland have increased faster than the overall rate of inflation.

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Link to source: Childcare survey 2017

The biggest cost for many working households with children, after housing, is childcare. The cost of all types of childcare has risen much faster than overall inflation. The cost of childcare can affect the real increase in disposable income gained by a parent taking a job or working for more hours. This can affect families’ living standards directly and also indirectly by influencing whether parents work at all, what jobs they take and how much they work.