Parents of nursery children in England are being charged extra fees to cover for government underfunding of free childcare hours, with some paying thousands of pounds a year for consumables such as food, wipes and nappies, campaigners have said.
The Early Years Alliance, a charity representing nurseries, said that the government's funding rate for the 30 hours of free childcare per week for three- and four-year-olds is insufficient, forcing nurseries to charge additional fees. A survey by the alliance found that 86% of nurseries in England charge extra for consumables, with the average cost being £1,000 per year per child.
The government has said that it is investing £4.1 billion in early years education by 2027-28, but campaigners argue that this is not enough to cover the true cost of providing childcare. The Department for Education has been contacted for comment.
