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Commenting, Neil Leitch, chief executive of the Early Years Alliance, said:

"We know that many parents across the country have struggled with rising childcare costs over recent years, as early years providers have been forced to increase fees to try and plug the gap left by inadequate government funding.

"Years of underinvestment into the sector had already left nurseries, pre-schools and childminders struggling to stay afloat, and so it's no surprise that the additional impact of the coronavirus outbreak has meant that many are now reaching breaking point. 

"With a quarter of nurseries, pre-schools and childminders fearing permanent closure within the year, rising to as much as a third in some regions, it is simply unacceptable for the government to remain silent on this critical issue. The reality is that the support the government has provided to the early years sector so far is simply not enough to ensure that childcare providers are able to survive this crisis.

"Failure to provide the funding the sector needs in the short- and long-term could mean the closure of thousands more providers, leaving parents without the childcare they need to return to work. If the government is serious about ensuring our economy is able to recover from the impact of the pandemic, it simply cannot let the childcare sector fall by the wayside."

Editor notes 

• The Early Years Alliance is the largest and most representative early years membership organisation in England. A registered educational charity, it also provides high-quality affordable childcare and education to support children and families in areas of deprivation throughout the country.

• The Alliance represents 14,000 members and supports them to deliver care and learning to more than 800,000 families every year. We deliver family learning projects, offer information and advice, produce specialist publications, run acclaimed training programmes and campaign to influence early years policy and practice.

• The Alliance website is