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The Early Years Alliance has issued a comment response to analysis from the TUC which concludes that UK childcare costs have soared by more than £2,000 in a decade.

Commenting, Neil Leitch, CEO of the Early Years Alliance, said:

“We know that the rising cost of childcare and early education is putting huge pressure on families across the country.

“For years now, early years funding has continually failed to keep up with soaring costs, leaving many providers with no choice but to increase fees to stay afloat.

"Research conducted by the Alliance earlier this year found that an overwhelming majority of providers say the funding they receive for so-called ‘free childcare’ places is less than the cost of delivering them – and with even those setting that received funding increases this year warning that this won’t be enough to cover delivery costs, things are clearly going to get a lot worse before they get better.

“Let’s be clear: these cost rises are a direct result of the government’s decision to knowingly underfund the early years sector in England and not, as ministers are now claiming, because of overly burdensome regulations. As the TUC has rightly said, ratio changes are the last thing the sector needs at such a challenging time.

“Today's research shows yet another example of the disastrous impact years of underfunding is having on the sector. How much worse does the situation need to get, for both parents and providers, to prompt the government to sit-up and take action?”