More parents of young children rate childcare affordability as good
The 2025 survey of parents in England found more young children in formal childcare, longer hours for 2-year-olds and a lower median weekly amount paid for under-3s.
At a glance
median weekly payment for under-3s in paid formal childcare, 2025
- Just under half (48%) of parents of young children rated local childcare affordability as good, up from 43% in 2024.
- Formal childcare was used by 67% of children aged 0 to 4, up from 64% in 2024.
- For children aged 0 to 2 in paid formal childcare, the median weekly amount paid fell from £108.00 to £75.00.
More parents of young children in England rate the affordability of local childcare as good, according to a Department for Education (DfE) survey published on 9 July.
The survey, run by Ipsos, interviewed 4,953 parents of children aged 0 to 14 in England between April and December 2025.
Just under half (48%) of parents with children aged 0 to 4 only rated the affordability of local childcare as very or fairly good, up from 43% in 2024.
Among children aged 0 to 2 who received paid formal childcare, the median weekly amount paid to providers fell from £108.00 in 2024 to £75.00 in 2025. The DfE said this coincides with the introduction of the new entitlements. It also noted that changes in payments do not necessarily reflect changes in providers' fees and charges.
Use of childcare
Formal childcare was used by 67% of children aged 0 to 4, equating to 2 million children, up from 64% in 2024. Among 1-year-olds, use rose from 38% to 45%.
Among 2-year-olds using formal childcare, the median time spent was 21.8 hours a week, up from 18.0 hours in 2024.
Just under three quarters (74%) of parents who had used the 2-year-old offer for working parents said it gave them more flexibility in how many hours they can work. This was up from 59% in 2024.
Charges, restrictions and additional needs
- 84% of parents aware of the funded hours offers knew providers could charge for extra services. Among parents of children aged 0 to 4 who knew this and used funded hours, 12% said it had stopped them applying to a provider.
- One in five (20%) parents whose children received funded hours said there were restrictions on when the hours could be used.
- Of parents using formal childcare for a child receiving support for a special educational, health or disability need, 39% found it hard to find a suitable local provider.
71% of parents with children aged 0 to 4 only rated the overall quality of local childcare as very or fairly good, in line with 2024.
Among mothers with children aged 0 to 4 only who were not working, 18% gave childcare issues as a reason, down from 25% in 2024.
The report notes that 30 funded hours a week for working parents of children aged 9 months to 2 only began in September 2025. So the results only partly capture their impact.
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Does this apply in Scotland? This survey covers parents in England only.
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Sources
- Childcare and early years survey of parents: 2025Department for Education · 9 July 2026
- Childcare and early years survey of parents, Reporting year 2025Department for Education · 9 July 2026
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Contains public sector information licensed under the Open Government Licence v3.0. Licence.
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