hidden extra – Parents of children in England are being asked to pay extra fees on top of government-funded free childcare hours, campaigners say—spanning deposits, “compulsory add-ons” and everyday consumables such as food, wipes and nappies. Education secretary Bridget Phi
On Monday, the debate shifted from anecdotes to scrutiny as England’s education secretary pressed the competition watchdog to look into hidden extra charges that parents say show up when they try to use government-funded childcare.
For many families. the promise is straightforward: eligible working parents in England can get 30 hours a week of free childcare for children aged between nine months and four years old. But campaigners argue that this promise is being quietly undermined by fees and add-ons that can turn a “free” place into a bill families pay anyway.
Parents say they are being charged to secure a funded place, including waiting-list deposits, compulsory add-ons and extra hours. The Department for Education (DfE) said “too many” parents have reported being asked to pay more to secure a funded place.
A survey conducted in May and June last year suggested the scale of the problem. Nearly three-quarters of parents whose children were attending formal childcare reported having to pay for extras. Those extras. campaigners say. can include covering meals. drinks. snacks. nappies and sun cream. as well as one-off activities such as special outings.
Neil Leitch, chief executive of the Early Years Alliance, described the charging as “a cross-subsidy,” telling BBC Radio 4’s Today programme on Monday that some providers are passing costs onto parents—despite being part of the funded childcare system.
One parent, Rick Kelsey, wrote in the Times last year about the kind of day-to-day charges that can accumulate quickly. Kelsey said that as much as £16 a day—amounting to thousands of pounds a year for a child in nursery full-time—was being charged on top of standard fees. He wrote: “I would love to see a toddler eat £16-worth of chicken nuggets and Babybel cheese before pickup.”.
Leitch, referring to Kelsey’s example, acknowledged it was “not £16 per lunch,” explaining it was “a cross-subsidy, basically.”
The financial pressure is not only about what parents pay—it is also about what it blocks. The results of the Ipsos poll last summer. surveying 2. 000 parents of children up to four years old. suggested that more than a quarter found the cost of childcare was the “primary barrier” to accessing their preferred option.
Bridget Phillipson’s response pointed to families who say they feel misled by what is advertised as free support. Writing in the Guardian on Monday. she said “too many parents are still not feeling the full benefit” of the government-funded childcare hours. She added that while “the vast majority of nurseries and childminders are doing a brilliant job. ” the government still has to ask hard questions “every time we hear stories of families hit with hidden charges. restricted hours or excessive deposits that bear no relation to what parents are actually paying.”.
In her letter to the regulator, Phillipson asked for details about the impact of extra charges on both parents and providers.
The campaigners’ complaint sits alongside a separate effort to help families find childcare more easily. In an effort to make access simpler. the government has launched a digital map of providers in Bristol. south Gloucestershire. Bath and north-east Somerset. The tool is due to be rolled out countrywide later in the year and is available via the Best Start in Life website.
A Competition and Markets Authority spokesperson said: “We welcome the request from the education secretary to carry out a review into the early years childcare sector.” The spokesperson added that the CMA has been monitoring developments and exploring the merits of work in this area. and that it will be “developing a specific proposal to put to our board.”.
For parents trying to make the system work. the stakes are immediate: the difference between “free hours” and a recurring bill can be measured in daily payments. deposit terms and the everyday items a nursery asks families to cover. For the government. the question is whether the childcare investment is reaching families as intended—or being offset by charges families struggle to avoid.
England free childcare 30 hours hidden charges nurseries deposits Early Years Alliance Bridget Phillipson Competition and Markets Authority