The cost of childcare in the UK can vary significantly depending on type of childcare, location, hours required, and age of your child.
Many families face substantial expenses for childcare. There are government initiatives such as Tax-Free Childcare and Free Childcare Hours which aim to alleviate some of the financial burden for working families, making quality childcare more accessible and affordable. Read more on getting help for childcare here.
In the table below I’ve tried to show the cost of childcare in a clear table for London and the rest of the UK, but always make sure to ask any childcare provider for a full breakdown of what your weekly or monthly costs will be.
| Childcare Option | Age | London (GBP) | Rest of UK (GBP) |
Eligible for government support?
|
| Nursery | 0-2 | £7 – £12 per hour | £5 – £10 per hour | Yes |
| Nursery | 3-4 | £6 – £10 per hour | £4.50 – £9 per hour | Yes |
| Childminder | 0-2 | £7 – £12 per hour | £5 – £10 per hour | Yes |
| Childminder | 3-4 | £6 – £10 per hour | £4.50 – £9 per hour | Yes |
| After-school nanny | 5+ | £10 – £15 per hour | £8 – £12 per hour | No |
| Full-day nanny | 0-4 | £12 – £20 per hour | £9 – £16 per hour | Sometimes |
| Nanny share | 0+ | £7 – £10 per hour (per family) | £6 – £8 per hour (per family) | Sometimes |
| Night nanny | 0-1 | £17 – £22 per hour (per night) | £9 – £15 per hour (per night) | Sometimes |
| Maternity nurse | 0-1 | £20 – £40 per hour (per night) | £18 – £25 per hour (per night) | No |
| Mother’s help | 0+ | £7 – £11 per hour | £7 – £10 per hour | No |
| Au Pair | 0+ | £9 – £14 per hour (plus board and lodging) | £7 – £10 per hour (plus board and lodging) | No |
| After-school club | 5+ | £10 – £20 per session | £8 – £15 per session | No |
| Breakfast club | 5+ | £5 – £10 per session | £4 – £8 per session | No |
| Live-in Nanny (food and board) | 0+ | £120 – £200 per week | £90 – £160 per week | No |
| Nanny housekeeper | 0+ | £12 – £16 per hour | £8 – £12 per hour | No |
| Babysitter | 0+ | £8 – £15 per hour | £7 – £12 per hour | No |
| Playgroup | 0+ | £5 – £10 per session | £4 – £8 per session | No |
Budgeting for consumables
Many childminders and nurseries will offer the funded hours (the Government childcare support) with a consumables charge.
This is so they can offer funded places without running a loss. The consumables charge makes up for that loss of income. The parents still pay very little (often around £2 per hour), and the childcare provider can still offer the same quality of care as they do to other children whose parents pay the full amount themselves.
‘Consumables’ usually includes food nappies, wipes, cream, and suncream.
