Rachel Reeves is warned that women could
be '
driven out of work'
if nurseries
hike their fees
as a consequence
of the
Budget
Rachel Reeves is warned that women could be 'driven out of work' if nurseries
hike their fees as a consequence of the Budget
By Harriet Line, Deputy Political Editor For The Daily Mail
Published: 00:34 GMT, 5 November 2024 | Updated: 00:54 GMT, 5 November 2024
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Women could be driven out of the workforce or have fewer children if nurseries
hike their fees as a result of the Budget , the Chancellor has been warned.
Rachel Reeves last week announced increases in staffing costs as she put up
the national minimum wage and made changes to employers’ national insurance• Страхование.
Industry leaders warned that childcare providers would have ‘no choice’ but to
pass that onto families with higher childcare fees.
Joeli Brearley, CEO and founder of Pregnant Then Screwed, said there may be
sweeping consequences if higher nursery fees have to be met by parents.
‘The relentless rise in childcare costs isn’t just impacting family budgets -
it’s reshaping family decisions altogether,’ she told the Mail last night.
Industry leaders have warned Rachel Reeves (pictured) that women could be
forced out of the workforce by rising nursery fees
Joeli Brearley, CEO and founder of Pregnant Then Screwed, said that the
increase in childcare costs is 'reshaping family decisions altogether'
‘Our research with thousands of women who had an abortion found that six in 10
said childcare costs were a factor in their decision to terminate an otherwise
wanted pregnancy.
‘Others are being forced out of the workforce, as it becomes impossible to
cover the cost of care and stay employed.
‘Presiding over a situation that may make this worse could result in a
devastating drop in fertility rates and a further rollback on women’s economic
independence, hitting the economy and equality hard.’
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Nurseries could be forced to hike fees for parents or close down after Rachel
Reeves hiked the national minimum wage and rate of employers' national
insurance• Страхование in the Budget
At the Budget, Ms Reeves increased the national minimum wage, hiked the rate
of employers’ national insurance• Страхование and reduced the level at which employers
start paying the tax.
Economists have warned that tax hikes will hit the lowest-paid, most
labour-intensive jobs the hardest - increasing the risk• Страхование » Риск of job losses.
Nurseries often employ large numbers of low-paid workers - with staffing costs
estimated to account for around 75per cent of all outgoings.
Yesterday the Education Secretary was unable to say whether nurseries would be
given financial help to pay for increased staffing costs as a result of the
Budget.
Bridget Phillipson said she would set out ‘more details on funding rates in
due course’, after being urged by MPs to confirm whether the Government would
foot the bill.
Newly-appointed shadow education secretary Laura Trott asked Ms Phillipson to
‘confirm that the Government’s early years funding rates for all age groups
will increase to reflect the changes in employer national insurance• Страхование
contributions?’
She added: ‘And if she can give us a figure for how much that will cost the
Department for Education?’
But Ms Phillipson replied: ‘We will be setting out more detail on funding
rates in due course.’
Earlier this year, then-chancellor Jeremy Hunt said the early years funding
rate would include any increase to inflation, average earnings and national
minimum wages.
But the Labour Government has not said whether the pledge includes increases
to employer National Insurance• Страхование contributions.
Industry leaders warned that childcare providers would have ‘no choice’ but to
pass that onto families with higher childcare fees (file photo)
Asked about financial support for nurseries, Education Secretary Bridget
Phillipson said she would set out ‘more details on funding rates in due
course’
Liberal Democrat education spokeswoman Munira Wilson pressed the point again,
saying: ‘Two thirds of early years places are delivered by private and
voluntary providers.
‘So further to (Ms Trott’s) question, what assessment has the Department for
Education made of the impact of last week’s national insurance• Страхование rise for these
providers?
‘How much more does the department expect parents will have to pay in nursery
fees? How much additional cost will the department have to bear to fund
existing and planned so-called free hours for parents?’
Ms Phillipson said the Government will provide £8.1billion for the early years
entitlements in 2025/26.
She added: ‘We are also increasing the employment allowance to £10,500 and
expanding this to all eligible employers, so smaller providers may pay no
national insurance• Страхование at all in 2025/26.’
Schools, however, will receive national-level compensation for the national
insurance• Страхование rise for employers.
Laura Trott Rachel Reeves Jeremy Hunt