Hard-working parents are being financially crippled by rising nursery fees and charges
Mum-of-two Gemma Dilworth and her husband Matt spend between £1,000 and £1,200 a month
BECOMING a parent is one of the biggest joys of anyone's life but with more and more households feeling the strain as wages struggle to match rising inflation, one enormous burden on working families is the cost of childcare.
Mums and dads now spend an average of £116 a week - more than £6,000 a year - for a part-time nursery place of 25-hours a week, according to figures from the Family and Childcare Trust.
How much you spend depends hugely on what part of the country you live - but wherever you are the costs can be shocking.
Parents in London pay just over £8,000 a year for 25-hours a week care for under-2s compared to those in the west midlands, who pay £5,249 - an eye watering difference of £2,751.
Those in the south-east spend £136 a week on average - more than £7,000 a year - while those in Yorkshire pay just over £101 a week or £5,000 a year.
Mum-of-two Gemma Dilworth and her husband Matt spend between £1,000 and £1,200 a month to have Kitty, 2, in nursery and Dulcie, 4, go to breakfast and after-school clubs during the week.
The 39-year-old from Oxfordshire thinks it's really important for children to see both parents working hard - but the costs have a huge impact on their household finances.
Gemma said: "It is by far and away the biggest bill we pay-out each month, bigger than our rent, it is such an expense.
"The shocker has been that with Dulcie going to school, we thought our costs would reduce but instead they've gone up as we pay between £200 and £300 for her school clubs. We didn't anticipate that.
"Both children love going and it's good for them to have strong role models and see both of us going to work.
"We think its value for money - the nursery we use is phenomenal but if they want to encourage people back to work after becoming parents it is extremely expensive."
Megan Jarvie, of the childcare trust, said the costs parents face can discourage parents from going back to work.
"We want families to be able to make good choices but the period between the end of maternity leave and when the children start school is really really tough," she said.
Under Government rules, working parents in England can apply for 30 hours a week free care if their children are between 3 and 4 years old.
But campaigners have warned that there is little or no help for parents at the difficult time when mums return to work after maternity leave.
It's a situation which tallies with the Dilworths - who have discussed one of them giving up work full-time.
"We don't go on expensive holidays or meals out - most of the money goes on bills," Gemma adds.
"A lot of parents are in a similar situation. I know mums who are returning to work after maternity leave and will actually be out of pocket."
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It's not just the headline costs that are a bug-bear for parents.
Many nurseries charge additional fees for things like if you're late picking up you son or daughter.
The costs can vary wildly - and depends on what your nursery decides - but The Sun Online found examples of parents being charged anything between £1 for each minute their late, up to £30 for every 15 minutes over time.
What extra fees can you expect to pay?
As we've seen the costs of using childcare can be extremely expensive. Here are some examples of the costs parents told us about
Late penalty - Typically, you'll be charged for failing to pick-up your child at the right time. This is to stop irresponsible parents from taking advantage at a cost to the nursery but some parents have found themselves hit in the pocket because of it.
Late payment - Some will charge you an additional fee if you don't pay your bill on time.
Nappies - Some nurseries expect parents to provide their own nappies and wipes.
Meals - Many nurseries include the cost of food in your monthly bill. But make sure to check as some don't have the facilities to cook food and will ask you to bring a packed-lunch instead
One parent, Karen Wagg told The Sun Online, she was charged £25 for every 15 minutes for a late pick-up - on top of paying an eye watering £2,200 a month and other costs for her two children to attend a nursery in south-east London.
"We were charged £3 per nappy and £5 for not closing the door properly. It was just added to your account at the end of the month," she says.
"For parents who see work not just as a way to pay the bills but stretch their brains, this is the cost you will pay.
"Setting reasonable fees would help enormously - it is incredibly expensive.
"I think a late fee should apply for serial offenders but it shouldn't be quite that high. My son is at another nursery now and we have no issues at all with additional fees."
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