Lewisham has the highest childcare costs in south east London

Out of the south east London boroughs, Lewisham had the highest childcare costs for 2023, whilst Bexley had the lowest.

The Government made expanding free childcare a key pledge in last year's budget, in a drive to help parents back into the workforce.

Currently, parents earning below £100,000 can claim 15 hours of free care for children aged three or four – but this will expand to two-year-olds from April.

However, a children's charity has said parents are still being "locked out" of work by expensive rates.

Below are the estimates from the Department for Education with the costs of childcare in Bexley, Bromley, Lewisham, and Greenwich.

Bexley

In Bexley, parents were paying £6.82 an hour in 2023 to have their two-year-olds looked after – higher than the England average of £6.07.

For children aged three and four, childcare cost parents in the area £6.33 an hour, also above the national average of £5.90 for this age group.

Bromley

New estimates suggest parents in Bromley were paying £6.97 an hour in 2023 to have their two-year-olds looked after.

Childcare costs for children aged three to four was £6.93 an hour.

*The Department for Education surveyed 59 childcare providers for two-year-olds in Bromley and 82 for those aged three and four.

Greenwich

New estimates from the Department for Education suggest parents in Greenwich were paying £7.15 an hour in 2023 to have their two-year-olds looked after – higher than the England average of £6.07.

For children aged three and four, childcare cost parents in the area £7.02 an hour, also above the national average of £5.90 for this age group.

*The Department for Education surveyed 46 childcare providers for two-year-olds in Greenwich and 63 for those aged three and four.

Lewisham

Parents in Lewisham were paying £7.38 an hour in 2023 to have their two-year-olds looked after – higher than the England average of £6.07.

For children aged three and four, childcare cost parents in the area £7.11 an hour.

*The Department for Education surveyed 44 childcare providers for two-year-olds in Lewisham and 47 for those aged three and four.

Ellen Broomé, managing director of Coram Family and Childcare, said high costs have been an issue for many years.

She said: "At a time when family budgets are under extreme pressure, the cost of childcare is making it near impossible for families to increase their income by working more hours.

"And too many parents, particularly mothers, are effectively locked out of work as they can’t make the sums add up."

Across London, average childcare costs for two-year-olds increased by 5.9 per cent to £7.72 an hour.

England as a whole has seen a 6.5 per cent jump in fees.

Ms Broomé continued: "High quality childcare is key social infrastructure. It helps parents work and narrows the gap between poorer children and their more affluent peers."

She welcomed the expansion of free care this spring – but said bringing prices down and making it accessible will be key, particularly when it comes to helping disadvantaged children.

Separate figures from the Office for National Statistics show employment rates among young parents – particularly mums – are significantly lower than their peers.

As of 2021, just under half of mothers with a child aged two or younger were in work, rising to just 55 per cent for those with a toddler aged three to four.

A Department for Education spokesperson said their plans could save eligible parents £6,500 per year, on average.

They said: "We want to ensure eligible families can benefit from this transformative offer as soon as possible, while ensuring parents and providers are prepared. That is why the first stage of the new offer will start in April, and working parents can register for a place now.

"More widely we are providing an average £3,700 per household in cost-of-living support between 2022 and 2025, and for parents on Universal Credit, we have already increased by almost 50% the maximum amount they can claim back in childcare costs."