Nurseries are ripping you off (top up/consumables)

[OPH7719]

Hello,

I'd like to debunk the myth that nurseries are underfunded. It's simply no longer true.

This article covers the changes in funding to childcare providers in broad detail - https://www.gov.uk/government/news/childcare-settings-receive-cash-boost-as-funding-rates-increase#:~:text=Nurseries%20and%20childminders%20across%20the,hour%20they%20provide%20to%20parents.&text=Nurseries%20and%20childminders%20will%20benefit,investment%20in%20childcare%20in%20England

This link will provide you with exactly what is being provided to your providers from the government per hour: https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/media/656638f3750074000d1ded9a/20231127_Early_Years_Funding_Rates_and_Step-by-step_Calculations_2024_to_2025_Funding_Output_Tables_-_FINAL.xlsx

This is important because childcare providers are continuing to insist on charging additional fees listed as 'consumables' even when parents provide consumables directly.

These charges have always been optional, as they are mandated legally to be optional.

Stop appeasing these nurseries profiteering from what was supposed to be parent's savings. Just because you're "up" overall doesn't make it right for them to be stealing a piece of the pie - because they are doing just that - stealing.

There's no transparency in this industry. Call them out, and stop paying them these illegal fees. Report them to the local authorities if they insist.

How is the funding “not enough” 😂

this is ridiculous. I may as well be talking to the wall

What industry is transparent about their pricing? Agriculture? Education? Textiles? You want more from them.

If it doesn’t cover their cost then why does a non funded ticket purchaser just purchase the ticket at £14?

Are you a childcare provider?

Because if so, you do not have all the information.

I'm sorry you are unable to understand my screenshot because it actually tells you a lot, namely that the link you keep sharing is not the amount settings are receiving.

Are you saying because others are not transparent - neither should childcare?

i don’t want nurseries to charge nonsense fees on top of a grant that more than covers the cost of what they would be charging less the grant.

It does not cover - never mind more than cover - the costs.

You even know that- you’ve admitted as much (even if you don’t want to consider that the 9 month old rate is only higher because it costs far more to provide care within the ratios at that age).

You just want other parents to pay more so you can get something free, and for some weird reason don’t want to blame the government for announcing policies they have no intention of funding properly.

It doesn’t state that anywhere in the screenshot. Explain?

They don’t.

The non-funded purchasers get to pay £25 to cover the shortfall from the underfunded people - even with a top
up.

Look: if YOU don’t understand how things work, maybe don’t lecture people
on MN about how nurseries are ‘stealing’ etc.

I pay full time - Mon to fri.

I pay significantly more in non funded than funded.

youre missing the point

should I provide a random screenshot that explains nothing in response to this? 😂

They do though, they pay the non funded rate, in this case - £14

The screenshot explains it completely.

Ah I see I get you sorry

I'm so sorry your comprehension skills are not very good. And I'm sorry that you feel ripped off.

I'll carry on doing my job, that I am very good at, and continue charging the rate that I believe my service is worth.

If you, or any other parent don't wish to pay me what I am worth, then please go elsewhere. There are plenty of parents who will.

Have a great Easter weekend.

No. You simply do not understand how nursery funding works.

The charge for the unfunded ticket is not £14. It’s £25. And it’s been set so high because the cinema needs to compensate for the shortfall from the supposedly ‘funded’ tickets. Even with the top up rate for ‘funded’ customers.

For all the unfunded hours you use, you are paying what the rate would be plus a subsidy for both your funded hours and and the so-called funded hours for people who only use ‘funded’ hours.

Historically, parents of under 3s have paid far more than they would have needed to to subsidise these ‘free’ hours. Now the government has extended the ‘free hours’ so that means the shortfall for 3+ provision and the shortfall from the extended scheme all must be passed on in the rates paid by parents using more hours.

The top up bits for the funded hours makes this less unfair to families paying for more hours of childcare.

it’s really not hard.

that £14 ticket exists only in the minds of central government. There is no £14 ticket. The service costs more than £14. It’s just the figure central government has decided it will provide.

If the government decides that a service costs £X, that doesn’t make it true.

You keep telling people that they are missing the point OP, the fact is you do not have the correct information and you clearly have absolutely no idea about the true running costs of a nursery are!

yes larger companies will be making a profit, (and why shouldn’t they?) many many many smaller settings will not! (Is this acceptable? Would it more acceptable to you for them to run at a loss and close?)

its actually laughable that you keep arguing a point when you have absolutely no idea about the in and outs of nursery funding, costings, staffing, ratios and running a viable nursery business!

If you want to direct your anger somewhere, try the government and local authorities who ARE underfunding early years education quite significantly and have been for some years.

(just another example of why so many experienced, qualified, caring practitioners are leaving early years education🤷‍♀️)

I want nurseries to charge fees that are transparent and reflective of their service - like in any other industry.

children are the most precious things, your in trusting their health, safety, emotional well-being. Their development and education to a care provider.
these will be our future, our doctors, our MPs, our leaders.

reflective of their service?

they should be paid much much more

How are they stealing? I'm not sure you understand the definition of stealing. Has the nursery your child attends taken your property without permission on legal right? Your belief that they are highly profitable does not equate to theft.

What a bizarre mindset, I do admire your dogmatic efforts to prove yourself right in the face of pages of people disagreeing with you however.

Exactly this. The government has decided a blanket rate that is way too low.

So I refuses to pay the fees.. the nursery refuses my child's spot and I don't work and don't make the money to put food on the table? 10/10 plan..

IMO these funded hours are a joke. I don't think anyone who couldn't afford nursery without it will be able to with it. Our little one started going at full price at 12 months old. When the free hours kicked in, the price barely dropped. The system is clearly broken, doesn't seem to help anyone.

Nurseries and childminders run a business. Why should they make a loss or simply 'break even' to offer people 'free' childcare? Or of course, they could all just call it a day and close leaving no childcare at all...