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09/11/2015

Childcare Costs Soar In Northern Ireland

A new study has revealed that the cost of childcare in Northern Ireland continues to soar.

The survey, commissioned by local charity Employers For Childcare, revealed that a full-time childcare place in the region now costs parents £8,528 per year.

The figures come just weeks after plans were announced to change Tax Credit eligibility from April 2016, which would leave some 121,000 families in Northern Ireland financially worse off.

A total of 5,000 parents from NI took part in this year's Childcare Cost survey. Of those, 56% admitted they are under increased financial pressure due to childcare bills. A further 24% said they had to rely on other ways to meet childcare payments, by using credit cards, loans, overdrafts and even pay-day loans.

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The charity is now calling on the Northern Ireland Executive to make childcare affordability central to the upcoming Childcare Strategy. The draft strategy, which is currently open for consultation, is said to need to commit to implementing the changes necessary to support families.

Commenting on the findings, Marie Marin, Chief Executive of Employers For Childcare, said: "Once again the cost of childcare has increased higher than the rate of inflation, and our report shows that families are finding it increasingly difficult to cope with the cost.

"These findings are particularly worrying considering the massive implications that the proposed changes to tax credits will have for thousands of local families.

"Family incomes are decreasing, yet the cost of childcare continues to rise. We call on the Executive to ensure that the forthcoming childcare strategy takes real and meaningful steps to address the affordability of childcare."

The full Childcare Costs Survey 2015 report can be found here.

(JP)

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"A new study has revealed that the cost of childcare in Northern Ireland continues to soar."