Nursery World - Childcare costs families a third of income

Research by the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) reveals that the cost of childcare in the UK accounts for more than a third of a couple’s average household income.

The report on social indicators, focusing on barriers to employment, found that couples in the UK are spending 34 per cent of their household income on nurseries and childminders.

This figure is more than double the average of 13 per cent across all OECD nations, and more than three times higher than spending in certain European countries including France and Germany.

Rising childcare costs are cited as a predominant cause of unemployment among young women. Women are 1.4 times more likely to become NEET (not in education, employment or training) than men on average.

The OECD found that while poor health is the single most widespread cause among men, more than half of NEET women ascribe their inactivity to care-giving and family responsibilities.

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