Nurseries are allowed to ask parents to pay for extras, such as meals, snacks, nappies or sun cream for their children. But the Department for Education now says these charges must be voluntary rather than mandatory, and must not be included as a condition by nurseries for parents accessing free childcare hours.
It said that a local authority “should intervene” if a provider seeks to make “consumables” a mandatory condition of taking up a funded place.
The expansion of funded childcare for working parents began being rolled out in England in April last year. Working parents of children aged nine months or older are now able to access 15 hours of funded childcare, before the full roll-out of 30 hours per week to all eligible families in September.
Bridget Phillipson, Education Secretary, said: “Giving every child the best start in life is my top priority, and integral to our mission to ensure tens of thousands more children are school ready every year.
“That’s why, despite the inherited challenges we face, we are pressing ahead with the investment and leadership needed to support families and make sure that every child, regardless of background, can access the high-quality early education they deserve.
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“Today marks an important step towards an early years system that is accessible for parents, sustainable for providers, and better serves children’s development.”
Lydia Hodges, head of Coram Family and Childcare, said: “We welcome the clarification in this update, which is something we have been calling for to address the high level of variation in childcare costs to parents. Our research shows that additional charges can be a major barrier to families – particularly disadvantaged families – taking up their funded early education entitlements.
“Supporting childcare providers through these changes will be essential to ensure the sector remains stable, but this updated guidance is an important step towards a transparent system that allows parents to make informed choices about their childcare options and enables all children to access their entitlements, particularly those who stand to benefit the most from high-quality early education.”
Experts have warned that parents and employers face a “dramatic” increase in childcare fees from April 2025. Accountants at Blick Rothenberg said that when the new minimum wage and employers’ National Insurance contribution (NIC) rates begin to apply in April, nursery fees will rise. The firm warned that this could lead to parents dropping out of the workforce, with women disproportionately affected.
