Nursery Fee Increases

[Berlioze]

Out of curiosity, how much have your child's nursery fees gone up by in the last 2 years? I think mine have gone up by a ridiculous amount but need a benchmark, %-wise please as I know starting fees will vary depending on the region.

I suggest those of you still justifying this nonsense read up on who is truly benefitting from this - research and you'll find private equity owners are filling up their pockets laughing all the way to the bank, and many of you lot still think the nurseries are oh, so poor. Employees are poor, not the owners.

@Berlioze the electric bill in my nursery has gone from £5k to £30k.
There is a government wage increase.
Formula is through the roof.
Food up 14 percent.
How does the business pay for this??

If it's a private nursery they can do what they like. Preschool is often free with funding but unhelpful hours for most working families.

How much did your actual costs increase per child?

They could charge less but they won't.

This is literally how all business works.

I don't think it can be explained any clearer than that.

They're not charities or providing a public service. They're running a business. Apple could charge less for an iPhone, but they don't because they want to make a big profit. Same for your nursery.

It's massively annoying, we all understand that. But you're directing your anger at the wrong people. Talk to your MP.

We paid £61 per day when we started in early 2023 (and I think they’d only recently put the fees up then). It’s just gone up to £89 per day. So an increase of over 45% since we started.

Increase of 14% between 2022 and 2024, from £389 per week (£1,685 per month) to £445 per week (£1,930 per month). Equivalent day rate up by 16% from £90 to £104. I actively try not to think about the annual cost.

Yes OP, that's how business works!

Although tbh I really don't think there is huge money in nurseries. If you think it's so lucrative maybe consider opening a nursery? You'd be rolling in it by years end.

You clearly own one - start your own thread if you want to talk more 👌

https://news.sky.com/story/amp/rishi-sunaks-wife-has-shares-in-childcare-firm-that-will-benefit-from-budget-policy-12844890

Yep, people like Rishi Sunak’s wife are becoming very rich out of Rishi Sunak’s policies. Which is why this government won’t be doing anything in a hurry to change things.

Again, missing the point.

Childcare is an essential service. This is why it receives funding from the Government.

If people can't pay for childcare, they cannot work and the economy shrinks. We are all poorer as a result. To quote, "this cannot be explained any clearer than that".

If it's just a business, charge £200 per day and don't touch Government subsidies, we'll see how well you fare then, and the economy.

I don't own a nursery. I just understand the basic concept of capitalism!

Businesses want to make money. That's it. It's a really simple concept. They don't care about you or your bills. They care about their profits. If they can charge £80 a day they will. There is nothing Ofsted can do about it. That's the fact. You can be all cross and upset at every poster who is pointing out this simple fact. It's not going to change anything. You're just getting wound up at the wrong people.

Do you really understand it?

If people have no money, your business won't last. It is that simple.

We are getting to the stage where middle income earners can no longer afford this fundamental service.

Stop being deliberately obtuse and wind down. Your condescending attitude is the only annoying part of this thread, there's always one.

You don't need to repeat the same comments three times either, I can read with understanding. I obviously won't be writing to my MP on Mumsnet. And it is noted Ofsted will not review overcharging either.

The nurseries aren't being subsided, you are. They're paying part of your childcare bill.

The problem is with government policy. I'll say it again, talk to your MP. That's who you should be cross with.

Not the people running the nursery.

They absolutely are.

We claim the funding and pass it on to them. The subsidy goes to them through my entitlement.

Several nurseries near me have closed because they couldn’t afford to run any more with the inadequate government subsidies. There are another couple of nurseries locally refusing to offer any funded hours at all and only offer full price places-they are full and people are paying as they want the place.

Have you written to your MP, @Berlioze ? I think that’s the only person with any sort of influence that might affect change.

Of course, the nursery can only charge what people will pay, but as you've said you've got no choice but to pay it, so they will charge it.

I wasn't suggesting you write to your MP on Mumsnet obviously! I meant send an email, ask for a meeting. Ask them what they're doing to address this problem in your local area.

I will do that.

I wonder if they were actually charging less without the funding, at the moment they are charging £30 a day in "top up" fees as well, per child, per day.

Childcare is just broken. Too expensive for parents. Pay too low for staff. Margins too tight for owners.

The only answer is more government subsidy, which is why people are suggesting you write to your MP.

Unless there is structural change, nurseries are indeed businesses and can indeed charge what they like, even if that isn't for the greater good.

It's shit.

Thank you for that final sentence, I really didn't grasp it without that!

Yeah, I know! Glad we're on the same page now.

Best of luck with it. I hope your MP is some help.

Lush, darling.

I don't what this means, but I assume 'thank you'! You're welcome.

Our (now previous) nursery went up in mid 2022 by 11% (to £99) having not been increased for a couple of years. Then then reduced hours a year later but kept prices the same for the now shorter day (with an option to pay more for a longer day). Now from April the fees are up 17% to £117 😱
The reduced hours are still to 6pm.
For the original longer day to 7pm the fees are up 58% to £158! Realistically they are making that longer day inaccessible.

We are in SE, not London.

What a shame, Google Translate might help. Try it.