Childcare costs 'soar above £8,000'

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One childminder in West Sussex charged £750 per week, or the equivalent of £39,000 a year - the highest reported costs in the country - the Daycare Trust found.

And the cost of childcare in out-of-school clubs has risen by six times more than the rate of inflation to an average of £43 a week, the trust warned.

The report found childcare costs were higher in Britain than elsewhere in Europe while many parents missed out on the vouchers and tax credits that could help.

Alison Garnham, joint chief executive of the Daycare Trust, said: "Claiming tax credits - which can cover up to 80% of childcare costs - and vouchers from your employer can cut the cost of childcare considerably.

"But even so, parents in the UK are still paying a bigger share - around 70% on average - of this spiralling cost than their neighbours in Europe, where the average is nearer 30%.

"In the last few years the Government has massively increased the amount of money it invests in high-quality childcare. In light of these figures, however, we think it needs to go further."

The average cost of a full-time nursery place for a child under two in England was £159 per week, or £8,268 per year. This was a rise of nearly 5% on last year, compared to the 2.1% inflation rate, the trust said.

The report said: "The highest costs were found in London and the South East where typical costs ranged from £161 to £202 a week - and parents paying the highest reported costs could be paying as much as £750 a week, or £39,000 a year. The lowest costs were in the West Midlands.

"Childcare costs in Wales have increased more quickly over the last 12 months than those in England and Scotland."