Oldham Liberal Democrats have hit out at the Conservative government for “neglecting cash-strapped young parents” after it emerged that childcare costs in the region have soared by £225 per year.
Leader of Oldham Liberal Democrats councillor Howard Sykes said, “Cash-strapped young parents are already seeing their income squeezed by the Conservative cost-of-living crisis. Every child and every family should have access to great care; and it shouldn’t break the bank. The Conservatives are neglecting hard working families.”
Liberal Democrat analysis of the figures in the 2022 Coram Childcare Report and the 2023 Coram Childcare Report show a £225 rise for parents paying for 25 hours of childcare a week.
For children aged two and over, the figures show an average rise of £4.33 a week, meaning an annual rise of £225.16 for hard pressed families.
For children under the age of two, the figures show an even greater annual rise of £318.76 for parents in the North West.
Councillor Sykes said, “The UK already has some of the highest childcare costs in the world. Parents up and down the country are struggling to afford their nursery fees, while for others the crippling costs of childcare mean they simply can’t afford to return to work.
“The Government needs to address this childcare crisis urgently and invest properly in our children’s future.”
Liberal Democrat analysis of Coram Childcare Reports 2022 & 2023