Childcare Shortage Worsens as Costs Rise

The availability of places at nurseries and childminders has worsened for pre-school children across all age groups in Great Britain, a report says. Fewer than one out of every three (29%) councils have enough spaces for children under two, down from 42% last year, Coram Family and Childcare found.

Parents say they are having to travel longer distances and even borrow money to meet childcare costs.

It comes as the government in England expands its funded-hours offer.

Kirsten Buckley and her husband started searching for childcare straight after their 12-week scan. But most of the 30 nurseries and childminders they called had waiting lists until the end of 2025. It took more than a year to find a place for their twins, Taran and Evie.

And last month, Ms Buckley received a call to say the childminder they were booked in with had to pull out because of personal circumstances – leaving the family “scrabbling” once more.

The couple, who live in Severn Beach, South Gloucestershire, expanded their search to Wales, where they have now found a nursery space two days a week. “We will be spending a lot more money on petrol driving across the Severn Bridge,” says Ms Buckley, an NHS hospital librarian who works near Bristol.

The day rate at the nursery, for both twins, will be more than her daily wage – but after years of training to specialise in her field, she is keen to keep working.

The family have put all their plans to move house and upsize “on hold”.

And Ms Buckley’s parents have just recently moved nearby so they can care for the twins when they are not at nursery.

“It’s been incredibly stressful,” she says. “The search for space has been longer and harder than I ever expected.”

The South West was among the worst-affected areas, with only one out of every five (21%) councils having enough spaces for children under two, Coram’s report found. But availability has dropped for pre-school children across England, Wales and Scotland.

The changes are expected to increase demand for spaces.

But the early-years sector has been struggling with underfunding and a severe shortage of qualified staff.

And some parents have told BBC News they will not be seeing a reduction in their bill.

In Northamptonshire, Therese and Toby Mower are spending more on nursery fees than their mortgage. This year’s bill will be £13,000. The couple, who have two daughters, Nora, six, and Quinn, two, were delighted when they first heard the government’s announcement.

But Quinn’s nursery has opted out of offering any government-funded hours from April.

Nurseries are mostly privately owned, so while most are choosing to deliver what the government has offered, they have no obligation to.