Growing number of parents getting into debt to pay for 'childcare'

According to the research by Pregnant Then Screwed, in partnership with Women in Data, there has been a sharp increase in childcare debts held by parents of children under the age five.

The State of the Nation 2024 report is based on a survey of 35,800 parents, of which Women in Data extracted a nationally representative sample of respondents, totalling 5,870.

Forty-six per cent of those surveyed admitted they have accrued debt or had to withdraw money from their savings to pay for childcare – a 30 per cent increase on last year.

One in five parents with a child under five had to withdraw money from their savings and pension to pay their childcare bill, and 37 per cent said they had to use credit cards, take out a loan or borrow money from family or friends. The figures rise ‘sharply’ for single parents.

More than half of of parents with a child under five years of age in England (53 per cent) said they spend more than a quarter of their household income on childcare, this is up 16 per cent from last year. One in five (19 per cent) said they spend more than half their household income on childcare.

Other findings include:

• 34 per cent of mothers are unable to work full-time due to childcare costs and availability, compared to just 12 per cent of fathers.
• 20 per cent of mothers in England are unable to take a more senior role due to childcare costs and availability, compared to 8.8 per cent of fathers.
• 52 per cent of mothers who have had an abortion either somewhat agreed or absolutely agreed with the statement 'I believe that the cost of childcare was the primary reason for me to terminate a pregnancy.'

'We need to close the gender gap and remove the challenges women face'

A spokesperson for Women In Data said, ‘Collectively we need to close the gender gap and remove the challenges women face to achieve equality of opportunities in the workplace and reduce burden of the unspoken ‘tax’ on mothers from additional unpaid labour as carers and in the home.’

The survey also highlights that despite the expansion of the funded hours, many parents will still struggle or be unable to meet the cost of care for their children due to additional fees being charged by settings.

'After years of disappointment, parents are struggling to believe the promise things will get better'

Joeli Brearley, chief executive and founder of Pregnant Then Screwed, commented, ‘The Government has promised parents that they will soon be able to access more affordable childcare, but this will only be successful if the scheme doesn’t bankrupt childcare providers.

‘We’ve already seen that the roll out of the new funding has not been straightforward with many parents still waiting to hear if they will be able to secure a funded place, while others are complaining that cost savings are minimal due to significant price increases for childcare outside of the funded hours. After years of disappointment, parents are struggling to believe the promise that things will get better.’