Bridget Phillipson urges competition watchdog to examine extra childcare charges

Bridget Phillipson has urged the competition watchdog to look into hidden extra charges parents have encountered when trying to access Government funded childcare.

Eligible working parents in England are able to get 30 hours a week of free childcare for children aged between nine months and four-years-old.

The Department for Education said “too many” parents have reported being asked to pay extra to secure a place – including in waiting list deposits, compulsory add-ons or additional hours to access what they are entitled to.

In May and June last year, pollster Ipsos conducted a survey of 2,000 parents of children aged zero to four in which more than a quarter said cost was the “primary barrier” to accessing their preferred childcare options.

Nearly three-quarters of parents whose children attend formal childcare reported having to to pay for extras, including covering meals or drinks, snacks, nappies and sun cream as well as one-off activities such as special outings.

Ms Phillipson said: “I grew up in a family that knew what it meant to count every penny.

“I am so proud of the crucial difference that 30 hours funded childcare makes to family finances, saving £8,000 a year per child on average.

“The vast majority of nurseries and childminders have been brilliant in helping us deliver, but I will not accept the small minority letting families down and stopping them get what they were promised.”

In her letter to the Competition and Markets Authority (CMA) regulator, the Education Secretary asked for details about the impact of extra charges on parents and providers.

In a bid to make accessing childcare more simple for families, the Government has also recently launched a digital map of providers in Bristol, South Gloucestershire, Bath and North East Somerset, which is due to be rolled out nationwide later in the year.

The tool is available via the Best Start in Life website.

A CMA spokesperson said: “We welcome the request from the Education Secretary to carry out a review into the early years childcare sector.

“The CMA has been monitoring developments and exploring the merits of work in this area.

“This is an important sector that needs to work well for families, and we will be developing a specific proposal to put to our board.”

Published: 26/05/2026 by Radio NewsHub