Good news - and bad
Published
Encouraging news for parents with under-threes living in England! Childcare entitlement expansion has cut costs for under-threes in England by more than half – though prices in Scotland and Wales continue to rise.
The Coram Family and Childcare’s 24th annual survey is the first published since the roll-out of new childcare entitlements for working parents in England began in April 2024. It found that:
• With the new funded hours for eligible working parents, a part-time nursery place for a child under two now costs an average of £70.51 per week in England, down by 56 per cent on 2024. A full-time nursery place for a child under two costs an average of £238.95 per week, down by 22% on 2024.
• However, Scotland and Wales saw price rises of 7 per cent and 10 per cent respectively. A part-time nursery place for a child under two now costs an average of £122.38 per week in Scotland and an average of £155.04 per week in Wales.
• The report also found continued gaps in availability of childcare places for children with special educational needs and disabilities.
The report also looked at childcare availability and found that 79 per cent of the local authorities in England surveyed have enough childcare for at least 75 per cent of children eligible for the new funded entitlement. However, echoing trends from previous years, the report finds gaps in availability for children with special educational needs and disabilities.
To read the full report, visit
