'I couldn't believe the size of the bill for one month of nursery'

A working mum was left horrified after receiving a bill for part-time nursery care over August for nearly £1,000. Jo Knowler has already cut back her working hours to just Monday-Thursday, and has helped look after her three-year-old son Theo from his grandparents, but still relies on a nursery to look after him three days a week.

Despite the small amount, due to the government-funded ‘free’ hours only covering school term times, the 39-year-old was faced with a steep bill of £917.20 for last month – something she describes as a “national crisis” in a post which has gone viral on social media.

“The fees are extremely high, and for many families they feel almost like taking on a second mortgage,” said Jo, who lives in Nottinghamshire. “The change to government support is great in principle, but it hasn’t turned out the way it was presented.

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“I thought that when the 30 free hours came in this September, we wouldn’t be paying fees anymore – but we certainly still are. We’re very privileged to even have a nursery place available and a strong support network, but even with that, the cost is still overwhelming.

“It shapes most of our financial decisions and means we’re constantly budgeting carefully.”

Jo, who works in recruitment, currently has Theo enrolled for 27 hours per week at nursery. She shared her thoughts on the steep bill in a post on LinkedIn, which has garnered more than 2,000 likes.

She wrote: “I don’t work Fridays, so I’m already on a pro-rated salary. [The] Grandparents step in one day a week, my husband does the nursery runs – and this is outside of London. I only have one child. I know families who are facing far worse.

“Oh, BTW, this figure already includes the 'free' government-funded hours. Except they’re not really free, they only cover school terms, so parents are left plugging the gaps the rest of the year.

“And yet… nearly a thousand pounds still leaves my account every month.”

Jo admits she feels “lucky” to have grandparents helping, a husband to share the load, and being able to “just about” afford to go back to work. She added: “What should be a right – the ability to work and contribute – now feels like a privilege.

“This isn’t just ‘expensive childcare’ – it’s a national crisis, and the government’s current plan simply isn’t enough. Childcare costs in the UK are spiralling.”