The cost of childcare can be punishing. An average part time nursery place now costs more than £6,000 a year. It’s hard enough to find the money if you’re working – but impossibly expensive if you need help with childcare while studying or training. If you’re on low wages, you can find that after nursery and travel costs it’s barely worth working.

Why are we left waiting until our children are 3 for a free nursery place? Childcare help should start as soon as paid parental leave is over. 

Of course lots of mothers and fathers want to spend time at home with their young families. But at least 600,000 stay-at-home parents would prefer to work if they could afford to do so. WE believe it’s right to fund a big expansion of childcare so that all who want to work can afford to. 

WE want all families to have a free part time nursery place from when their child reaches 9 months. And extra hours should be affordable, too, with costs capped at £1 an hour. 

WE have a costed plan to pay for extra childcare by changing pension tax rules – helping women and low earners save more for retirement, too. Click here to find out more.

SIGNUP to back our campaign for more childcare help.