This flagship policy is in reality not properly funded. Nursery's are struggling to provide the free hours provision and parents are being charged 'top up fees' to make up the difference. Nursery's are having to close or parents are having to stop work because the figures just don't add up.
I was shocked to discover that my bill for September was over £550 a month for 37 hours pw. I am charged over £2.50 per hour on top of the free 30 hours, and I'm charged for food as well. My bill will be much higher in the holiday weeks out of 'term time'. I did a survey of my mum friends (across many parts of the country) and discovered that this was almost a universal experience.
I am starting this thread as a survey to find out who is being charged these extra hours so that we can gain traction in getting this policy actually funded. In all likelihood it's going to pay for itself in income tax of working parents (and the future prosperity of our young people). The government needs to work out how much it actually costs to provide a good standard of childcare/early education to our country's children and then actually pay for it.
YANBU - my nursery/preschool charges top up fees/extras on top of "free hours" (term time only)
YABU - my nursery/preschool gives me the free hours