Nursery optional/voluntary fees

[djddmdm]

I'm looking at nurseries and have seen this optional/voluntary charge (one setting says it is for nappies, resources, ratios , the other setting says it is for meals and snacks). Has anyone opted out of paying for this? Did you feel the nursery made you feel bad for doing so? One setting quoted over £100 pcm. I get the government help for working parents (30 hours) doesn't cover everything just seems a lot and I wonder how 'optional or voluntary' it actually is.

Our nursery had a genuinely optional charge for meals. You could send your own in no problem.

The first one you mention does not really sound optional - do they really say it’s for “ratios”? The legally required number of adults for children?

For our nursery there is an optional charge for meals/food, genuinely optional but obviously if you choose to opt out then you have to send in all of the snacks/meals for the days they are there and it must adhere to their guidance on what meals/snacks are so balanced, fruit/veg etc you can’t just send in whatever.

"Optional" is the actual legal position.

The Department for Education guidance is explicit that there must be no mandatory charges attached to the funded hours, and that parents have to be able to opt out. A nursery can't make paying it a condition of the funded place, and if one tries, your council can intervene.

In practice opting out means providing your own, packed lunch, nappies and sun cream etc. Settings aren't allowed to refuse a packed lunch, and a child who opts out has to get the same quality of provision as everyone else.

The useful bit: since January 2026 invoices have to be itemised, funded hours shown as £0, then food, non-food consumables and activities each broken out separately.

So if a setting quotes you a flat £100 a month, ask them to itemise it. £100 for meals is one conversation; £100 covering "ratios" is another, because staffing isn't a consumable and shouldn't be in there at all.

Same here - at ours jf you want to provide your own lunch they make you drop it off at 12.30 😂 and cant be anything thst needs heating plus long list of things not allowed.the funded hours arent enough money for decent food, Im fine to pay it. It’s still much cheaper than no funding

Our nursery doesn't allow outside food or drink at all (unless it's breast milk or prescription formula).no own nappies or suncream again unless there's a medical reason. End of.

We can opt out of the fees which are £120 per month. But to my knowledge no one has. Doesn't mean it hasn't happened.

We just pay it as I rather the nursery still be able to deliver the quality of care and consumables that they offer. They even supply bottles and sippy cups which there are a variety and you can choose the brand that they use for your child.

We receive the 30hrs or well the 22 hours across the year and use tax free child care credits as well. It's still a big cost but no where near as dear as when it was only 15hrs and had a bunch of other coats (different setting, about 10 years apart - which there was no funding for under 3s)

Pick and choose your battles and where you value your money being spent.