Reporting year 2023

Childcare and early years provider survey

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Introduction

This release provides information on childcare and early years provision in England from the Department for Education (DfE)’s Survey of Childcare and Early Years Providers (SCEYP). 

The SCEYP provides important insights into childcare and early years provision. The DfE commissioned IFF Research and London Economics to conduct the SCEYP in 2023. Fieldwork was carried out between April 2023 and July 2023.

The SCEYP covers group-based providers, school-based providers and childminders. 

Group-based providers (identified from the Ofsted register): providers registered with Ofsted and operating on non-domestic premises.

The two main types of group-based providers included in this report are:

  • Private group-based providers: These are private companies and include employer-run childcare for employees.
  • Voluntary group-based providers: These are voluntary organisations, including community groups, charities, churches, or religious groups.

There are also a smaller number of “other group-based providers” which, in most tables, are not shown separately but are included in the “all group-based providers” total.  In these tables, figures for private group-based providers and voluntary group-based providers do not add up to the “all group-based providers” total.

School-based providers (identified from the School Census). The two types of school-based providers are:

  • Maintained nursery schools: These are purpose-built maintained schools specifically for children in their early years and with a qualified teacher present.
  • Nursery class childcare settings: These are other maintained schools, and non-maintained schools, offering nursery provision.

Childminders (identified from the Ofsted register): Ofsted-registered childminders providing early years care and operating on domestic settings (childminders registered with a childminder agency are not included in the survey).

In the tables, numbers of providers, places and staff have been rounded to the nearest 100 (apart from numbers of providers in different regions, and in areas with different levels of deprivation, which have been rounded to the nearest 10).  Some of the findings reported in the text are based on calculations made on unrounded figures, and so may not align exactly  to the rounded figures shown in the tables.  Where figures in the tables have been broken down by category, they may not add up exactly to totals due to rounding.

More detailed information, including sample sizes and tests of the statistical significance of differences between figures from the 2022 and 2023 Surveys, can be found in additional tables available in the “supporting files” section of this release. Please read the “notes and definitions” sheet for details of how the figures in these tables have been calculated and presented.

Details of how the 2023 SCEYP was carried out, and how results were weighted in order to be representative of all childcare providers in England, can be found in a Technical Report, also available in the “supporting files” section of this release.

Related information

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View releases (1) for Childcare and early years provider survey

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Headline facts and figures - 2023

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Section 1 - Number of childcare providers and their characteristics

Introduction

This section provides an overview of the childcare market - the number of childcare providers and characteristics of the care that they provide.

Findings

Number of providers

Between 2022 and 2023, the total number of providers fell by 3,200 (5 per cent), from 59,400 to 56,300.

The decline in the overall number of childcare providers is explained by a 10 per cent fall in the number of childminders.

The number of school-based providers and group-based providers was estimated to have stayed about the same (a 1 per cent increase in school-based providers and 2 per cent fall in group-based providers).

Between 2018 and 2023, the number of providers fell by 10,300 (15 per cent).  

The number of group-based providers stayed about the same and the number of school-based providers increased by 1,200 (13 per cent).  The number of childminders, however, fell by 31 per cent, from 36,500 to 25,300.

School-based providers make up the smallest group of providers, ranging from 10 per cent of providers in the South East to 28 per cent of providers in the North East.

Despite numbers declining since 2018, childminders continue to make up the biggest group of providers in all regions, ranging from 38 per cent of providers in the West Midlands to 48 per cent of providers in the South East and East of England.

The proportion of group-based providers is highest in the South East (42 per cent), and smallest in the North East (27 per cent). The North East is the only region where the proportion of school-based providers (28 per cent) is higher than the proportion of group-based providers (27 per cent). 

In the most deprived areas, school-based providers make up 26 per cent of childcare providers, twice the proportion in the least deprived areas (13 per cent).  

Conversely, childminders make up a bigger proportion of childcare providers in the least deprived areas (46 per cent) than they do in the most deprived areas (37 per cent).

The proportion of group-based providers remains fairly consistent across all deprivation levels, ranging from 36 per cent in both the more deprived and average areas, to 41 per cent in the least deprived areas. 

Thirty-three per cent of group-based providers are part of a chain.  This proportion is higher for private group-based providers (43 per cent) than for voluntary group-based providers (11 per cent). 

Almost all (98 per cent) of school-based providers deliver childcare solely by themselves.  The remaining 2 per cent deliver childcare in partnership with other providers.

Childminders and group-based providers are far more likely than school-based providers to be open during both term-time and holidays. 

Ninety per cent of childminders and 77 per cent of private group-based providers are open during both term-time and holidays, compared with 26 per cent of voluntary group-based providers and 6 per cent of school-based providers.

Since they are more likely to be open during both term-time and holidays, private group-based providers and childminders expect, on average, to be open for more weeks in the year than other provider types.  Private group- based providers expect to be open for a mean of 47 weeks per year and childminders for a mean of 46 weeks per year.

Voluntary group-based providers expect to be open for nearly 7 weeks fewer than private group-based providers - a mean of 41 weeks per year.

School based providers expect to be open for the fewest weeks - a mean of 39 weeks per year.

As well as being open for more weeks in the year, on average, private group-based providers are open for more hours in the day.   

Along with childminders, they are open for an average of 10 hours per day compared with 8 hours per day for voluntary group-based providers and 7 hours per day for school-based providers.

Most private group-based providers open between 7.30am and 8.30am and most close between 6.00pm and 7.00pm.

Most school-based providers open later (between 8.30am and 9.00 am) and most close earlier (between 3.00pm and 4.00pm) than private group-based providers and childminders.

Further information

The numbers of providers reported in these tables are based on representative survey estimates and will be slightly lower than the number of group-based providers and childminders on the Ofsted register and the number of schools in the School Census (the three lists from which the survey sample was drawn). This is because providers who are on the Ofsted register but do not currently have any children aged 0 to 4 registered at the setting were excluded from the SCEYP.  Numbers of childminders exclude childminders registered with childminder agencies.

More detailed information, including sample sizes, can be found in additional tables available in the “supporting files” section of this release.  As well as the figures shown in this section, these tables show, for instance, the distribution of childcare provider chains by size, and the distribution of childcare provider opening and closing times.

Section 2 - Number of childcare places

Introduction

This section describes the number of childcare places that providers have registered; the number of children booked with them; and the number of surplus childcare places that they have. The definitions are as follows:

The number of registered places is the maximum number of children that the provider is allowed to look after at any one time.  In the case of childminders, this may not be the same as the number of places registered with Ofsted, as childminders are only required to register places for children aged under 8 with Ofsted.

Booked places refers to the number of children booked at the provider.  The number of children attending the provider at a particular time of day should not exceed the number of places that the provider has registered.

A childcare provider has “surplus” places if it is willing and able to take an additional child or children, over and above those children that are already booked.

Findings

Number of registered childcare places

The estimated number of registered childcare places in England increased by 15,100 between 2022 and 2023, to 1,558,100.

The estimated number of registered places at group-based providers remained almost the same, while the estimated number of registered places at childminders fell by 5,800 (3 per cent).  

The estimated number of registered places at school-based providers, however, increased by 21,800, or 7 per cent.

School-based providers have a mean of 37 registered childcare places.  This number is much higher for maintained nursery schools (94 places) than it is for nursery class childcare settings (34 places). Maintained nursery schools, however, only make up a small proportion of the overall number of school-based childcare providers.

Group-based providers have a mean of 50 registered places.  This number is higher for private group-based providers (56 places) than it is for voluntary group-based providers (36 places).

Childminders have the fewest registered places, with a mean of 7 registered places each.

Although childminders make up the biggest group of providers in all regions, they only have an average of 7 registered childcare places each.

As a result, childminders have the smallest proportion of registered places in all regions, ranging from 8 per cent of places in the West Midlands to 12 per cent of places in the East of England, South East and Yorkshire and the Humber.

Group-based providers have the majority of registered places, in all regions.  The South East is the region with the highest proportion of children registered in group-based providers (73 per cent).

The proportion of registered childcare places that are in school-based providers ranges from 15 per cent in the South East to 37 per cent in the North East.

School-based providers tend to look after older children than other types of childcare providers.  Almost 90 per cent of children registered with school-based providers are aged 3 and 4, with only 1 per cent aged under 2.  

In contrast, much higher proportions of children registered with group-based providers (19 per cent) and childminders (30 per cent) are aged under 2. Despite this, children aged 3 and 4 still make up the biggest share of registered places at these providers, with 54 per cent of registered places at group-based providers, and 39 per cent of registered places at childminders in this age group.

Booked places

On an average day, school-based providers have an estimated 188,000 children booked in full-day nursery, 175,500 children booked in morning nursery and 135,100 children booked in afternoon nursery.  

The number of full-day nursery places booked in school-based providers increased by 31,700 (20 per cent) between 2022 and 2023. 

Most full-day nursery sessions are booked in group-based providers and this number increased by 35,200 (6 per cent) between 2022 and 2023, from 562,700 to 597,900.  The number of morning and afternoon sessions also increased, although by a smaller proportion (2 per cent and 3 per cent respectively).

The number of places booked with childminders increased by 3 per cent between 2022 and 2023, from 83,800 to 86,400.  

Surplus places

Providers were asked about the number of additional children that they would have been willing and able to take, over and above those children who were booked - that is, the number of spare (or “surplus”) places that they had.

Around 50 per cent to 60 per cent of providers report that they have one or more surplus place.  This proportion is slightly higher for group-based providers than it is for school-based providers and childminders.

The proportion of full-day nursery places that are surplus is higher in school-based providers (20 per cent) than in group-based providers (15 per cent).  Afternoon sessions have the highest proportion of surplus places (29 per cent for group-based providers and 27 per cent for school-based providers).

Twenty-one per cent of childminder places are surplus.

Group-based providers have the highest number of surplus full-day places (113,400), followed by school-based providers (44,200 surplus full-day places). Childminders have the fewest surplus places at 23,800.

Group-based providers have an average of around 6 surplus places and group-based providers an average of around 5 surplus places per session.  Childminders have an average of one surplus place.

Providers were asked how occupancy rates compared with the previous year.  Around two-fifths (41 per cent) of group-based providers said that occupancy rates had increased in 2023, over twice the proportion that said they had fallen (18 per cent).

Fifty-nine per cent of school-based providers said they had seen no change in occupancy, whilst 25 per cent reported an increase and 16 per cent reported a decrease. There was a similar pattern for childminders, with 56 per cent having seen no change, 27 per cent saying that occupancy rates had increased and 17 per cent saying that occupancy rates had fallen. 

Further information

This section shows three different measures.  

Firstly, the number of places that providers have registered - that is, the maximum number of children allowed in the setting at any one time.

Secondly, the number of children who have childcare booked at the provider.  The number of children attending the provider at a particular time of day should not exceed the number of places that the provider has registered.

Finally, the number of surplus places that the provider has.  This is the number of additional children that the provider is willing and able to take, over and above those children that are already booked with them.  

Adding the number of surplus childcare places at a provider to the number of places that they have booked does not necessarily arrive at the number of places that they are registered to provide. Childminders, for instance, have on average 7 registered places but only 3 children booked.  On average, they have an additional one surplus place, giving a total of 4 places that they are “willing and able” to provide.

The number of registered, booked and surplus places varies between different days of the week.  In these tables, the average number across all days is shown.  Additional tables, available in the “supporting files” section of this release, show a breakdown by day of the week.  They provide further additional information, such as sample sizes, and further tables to those shown in this section, such as the proportion of childcare places that are surplus in different regions.

Section 3 - Childminders

Introduction

This section describes some of the characteristics of childminders who responded to the Survey.

Findings

In 2023, an estimated 17 per cent of childminders employed an assistant or assistants, in line with 2022 (14 per cent).  

A further 7 per cent of childminders reported that they were considering employing an assistant,

Thirteen per cent reported that they regularly worked with another childminder or childminders.

Eleven per cent of childminders care for their own child or children as well as other children.  Eight per cent care for one of their own children, 2 per cent for two of their own children and one per cent for three or more of their own children.

Ten per cent of childminders who responded to the survey said that they did another job, in addition to childminding, to supplement their income.

Childminders that responded to the survey said that they had worked as a childminder for an average of 14 years (an increase from 13 years in 2022).  Childminding assistants had been in that role for an average of 4 years.

Further information

More detailed information, including sample sizes, can be found in additional tables available in the “supporting files” section of this release.

Section 4 - Workforce: number of staff and staff turnover

Introduction

This section describes the number of staff working for childcare providers and levels of staff turnover.

Findings

Total number of staff

School-based providers and group-based providers both saw increases in the total number of staff. The number of paid childcare staff working in school-based providers increased by 3,500 (or 7 per cent) between 2022 and 2023, from 52,300 to 55,800. The number of paid childcare staff employed in group-based providers increased by 11,100 (or 4 per cent), from 248,200 to 259,300. 

In contrast, the number of childminders and childminder assistants fell by 1,700 (or 5 per cent) from 33,900 to 32,200.

Overall, the total number of paid childcare staff increased by 12,900 (or 4 per cent), from 334,400 to 347,300.

In 2023, school-based providers had an average of 6 paid members of childcare staff, an increase from 5 paid members of childcare staff in 2022.  This number was higher for maintained nursery schools (18 staff) than it was for nursery class childcare settings (5 staff). Maintained nursery schools, however, only make up a small proportion of the overall number of school-based childcare providers.

Group-based providers had an average of 12 paid members of childcare staff, an increase from 11 paid members of childcare staff in 2022. Private group-based providers (14) had a slightly higher average number of paid childcare staff than voluntary group-based providers (9).  

In 2023, 33 per cent of school-based providers and 30 per cent of group-based providers employed temporary paid childcare staff.  Both of these figures were in line with 2022.

In total, school-based providers employed 5,400 temporary paid childcare staff and group-based providers employed 20,800 temporary paid childcare staff.

In 2023, 30 per cent of school-based providers employed volunteer childcare staff, in line with 2022.

Thirty-two per cent of group-based providers employed volunteer childcare staff, a decrease from 34 per cent in 2022.

In total, school-based providers employed 4,400 volunteer childcare staff and group-based providers employed 12,000 volunteer childcare staff.

In 2023, 12 per cent of school-based providers employed childcare apprentices, the same as in 2022.  A higher proportion of group-based providers employed childcare apprentices and this proportion increased, from 49 per cent in 2022 to 51 per cent in 2023.

In total, school-based providers employed 1,600 childcare apprentices and group-based providers employed 24,300 childcare apprentices.

Although a higher proportion of group-based providers than school-based providers employ childcare apprentices, the levels of apprentice that they employ are very similar.  In 2023, around two-thirds of childcare apprentices were employed on Level 2 apprenticeships, just under one-third employed on Level 3 apprenticeships, and the remainder - approximately 3 per cent - employed on Level 5 apprenticeships,

Staff turnover

On average, providers had more paid childcare staff joining than leaving in the previous 12 months.  

The number of paid childcare staff recruited to school-based providers was over double the number leaving (10,300 joined and 4,600 left).  On average, 1.1 members of staff joined providers and 0.5 members of staff left.

The number of paid childcare staff recruited to group-based providers was nearly 50 per cent higher than the number leaving (62,700 joined and 44,100 left).  On average, 3.0 members of staff joined providers and 2.1 members of staff left.

Turnover rates for paid childcare staff in 2023 were over twice as high in group-based providers (19 per cent) as school-based providers (8 per cent).

Around 45 per cent of paid childcare staff who left a childcare provider in the last 12 months either went to work for another childcare provider or to work in a school.  Thirty-eight per cent of paid childcare staff who left a group-based provider in the last year, compared with 27 per cent who left a school-based provider, went to work somewhere else. Conversely, a higher proportion of paid childcare staff who left a school-based provider (12 per cent) than left a group-based provider (4 per cent) retired.  

Fifteen per cent of paid childcare staff who left a school-based provider, and 12 per cent of paid childcare staff who left a group-based provider, left for an “other” reason, for instance caring responsibilities, poor health or because they were moving away from the area.

Level 3 was the highest level of qualification of 42 per cent of paid childcare staff who left school-based providers and 57 per cent of paid staff who left group-based providers in the last 12 months.  These proportions were similar to the proportion of paid childcare staff working in school-based providers (37 per cent) and group-based providers (59 per cent) whose highest qualification was at Level 3.

Further information

More detailed information, including sample sizes, can be found in additional tables available in the “supporting files” section of this release.  As well as the figures shown in this section, these tables show, for instance, the average number of hours that staff are contracted to work.

Section 5 - Workforce: staff qualifications and characteristics

Introduction

This section describes the qualifications held by childcare staff and other characteristics of the childcare workforce (their gender, ethnicity and age).

Findings

Staff qualifications

The proportion of paid childcare staff who hold an early years or teaching-related qualification at Level 3 or above is highest (85 per cent) in school-based providers.  Slightly lower proportions of paid childcare staff working in group-based providers (79 per cent) and childminders (79 per cent) are qualified to Level 3 or above.

A higher proportion of school-based provider staff (38 per cent) hold an early years or teaching-related qualification at Level 6 than paid childcare staff working in group-based providers (11 per cent) and childminders (10 per cent).

In school-based providers, 98 per cent of headteachers and early-years co-ordinators are qualified to Level 6 compared with 18 per cent of other staff.

In group-based providers, 43 per cent of senior managers are qualified to Level 6 compared with 7 per cent of other staff.

Seventy-nine per cent of childminders are qualified to Level 3 or above compared with 38 per cent of childminding assistants.

Eighty-one per cent of school-based provider staff who hold a Level 6 early years or teaching-related qualification have Qualified Teacher Status compared with 25 per cent of group-based provider staff.  

Conversely, a higher proportion of Level-6 qualified group-based provider staff (57 per cent) than school-based provider staff (22 per cent) have an early years degree.

Staff characteristics

The vast majority of paid childcare staff are female, making up 98% of both the school-based and group-based provider workforce, and 97% of childminders.

Just over 80 per cent of paid childcare staff are White British.  This proportion is lowest in private group-based providers (79 per cent) and highest in voluntary group-based providers (89 per cent).

By comparison, in the 2021 census, 81% of people in England were reported to be White, 9.6% Asian and 4.2% Black.

There are marked differences in the age profile of paid childcare staff in different settings.

Only 2 per cent of childminders are aged under 25 compared with nearly a quarter of paid childcare staff in private group-based providers (23 per cent).

Conversely, forty-eight per cent of childminders are aged over 50 compared with just 12 per cent of paid childcare staff in private group-based providers.

Section 6 - Staff-child ratios

Introduction

The Statutory Framework for the Early Years Foundation Stage sets out the required staff to child ratios in Early Years and Childcare settings.  Childcare providers are, however, allowed to exceed these ratios in exceptional circumstances.

For children aged under two 

There must be at least one member of staff for every three children.

 For children aged two 

From September 2023, there must be at least one member of staff for every five children.  However, at the time of the survey, the maximum ratio was one member of staff for every four children.  Therefore, figures are reported on this basis.

For children aged three to four 

If a person with an approved level 6 qualification is working directly with the children there must be at least one member of staff for every 13 children. 

If a person with an approved level 6 qualification is not working directly with the children there must be at least one member of staff for every 8 children.

Findings

In 2023, 96 per cent of private group-based providers and 95 per cent of voluntary group-based providers reported that they were operating at, or above, the statutory ratio for children aged under 2 i.e. one member of staff for every 3 children.  Four per cent and 5 per cent respectively had child to staff ratios higher than the statutory levels, a decrease on 2022.

Eight per cent of private group-based providers and 13 per cent of voluntary group-based providers reported staff:child ratios that were more generous than the statutory minimum i.e. fewer than 3 children per staff member.  

The average number of children per staff member was 3.0, in line with 2022 (3.1).

Ninety-eight per cent of private group-based providers and 97 per cent of voluntary group-based providers reported that they were operating at, or above, the statutory ratio for children aged 2 at the time of the survey i.e. one member of staff for every 4 children.  Two per cent and 3 per cent respectively had child to staff ratios higher than the statutory levels, in line with 2022.

Fourteen per cent of private group-based providers and 24 per cent of voluntary group-based providers reported staff:child ratios that were more generous than the statutory minimum i.e. fewer than 4 children per staff member.  

The average number of children per staff member was 3.8, unchanged from 2022.

For children aged 3 to 4, the mean number of children per staff member in group-based providers was 7.2 (an increase from 7.0 in 2022).  The mean number of children per staff member in nursery class childcare settings was 8.3 and in maintained nursery schools it was 12.4 (both figures in line with 2022).  

Although school-based providers have a higher number of children per member of staff, they are more likely than group-based providers to employ staff qualified to Level 6, and providers are allowed to have higher child to staff ratios when a member of staff qualified to Level 6 is present.

Thirty-five per cent of school-based providers and 30 per cent of group-based providers reported staff:child ratios that were more generous than the statutory minimum i.e. fewer than 8 children per member of staff.

Childcare providers are allowed to exceed staff to child ratios in exceptional circumstances.

Seven percent of group-based providers and 6 per cent of school-based providers said that they had used the “exceptional circumstances” allowance at least once in the last year.

Twenty-two percent of group-based providers and 34 per cent of school-based providers, however, said that they were “not aware” of the allowance.

Further details

More detailed information, including sample sizes, can be found in additional tables available in the “supporting files” section of this release.  

Section 7 - Overview of provider finances

Introduction

This section provides a brief overview of provider finances. 

Findings

Staff costs account for around three-quarters of total group-based provider and childminder costs and 85 per cent of school-based provider costs.

Rent or mortgage payments account for 9 per cent of group-based providers costs, compared with 2 per cent of school-based provider costs.  

Childminders are more likely than other providers to have children attend for the full day, rather than just the morning or afternoon.  As a result, food costs account for a higher proportion (11 per cent) of childminders'  costs than other providers.

In 2023, an estimated 5 per cent of school-based provider staff and 11 per cent of group-based provider staff were earning below the National Living Wage.

Further details

Prior to the 2023 survey, where providers reported staff salaries on an annual basis, hourly salaries were derived by dividing annual salaries by 52, and then by the number of hours per week that staff members were contracted to work.

In the 2023 survey, providers were additionally asked for the number of weeks per year that staff were contracted to work. Where this was less than 52 weeks per year, hourly salaries were derived by dividing annual salaries by this number, rather than 52, and then by the number of contracted hours per week.

This produces a more accurate estimate of hourly staff salaries.  It does, however, mean that estimates of the proportion of staff earning below the NLW are lower than those calculated previously and that figures in this table cannot be directly compared with those published in previous years.  In order to add context, the proportion of staff earning below NLW in 2023 has been calculated using the same methodology as that used in previous years. Based on this methodology, 14 per cent of school-based provider staff and 13 per cent of group-based provider staff would be estimated to earn below NLW (compared with 16 per cent and 14 per cent respectively in 2022).

An in-depth report on childcare provider finances will be published in 2024.

Section 8 - Funded entitlements and tax-free childcare

Background

15 hours entitlement 

All 3 and 4 year olds, and eligible 2 year olds, are entitled to 570 hours of funded early education or childcare per year. This is usually taken as 15 hours a week for 38 weeks of the year. 

30 hours entitlement 

Since September 2017, the funded childcare entitlement for 3 and 4 year olds increased to 30 hours a week for working parents that meet the eligibility criteria.

Tax-Free Childcare 

Tax-Free Childcare was introduced in April 2017. Under this scheme, eligible parents open an online childcare account and for every £8 that they pay into their account the government pays in an additional £2, up to a maximum of £2,000 per child per year (this goes up to £4,000 if a child is disabled). Parents are then able to use the account to pay for childcare costs with a registered provider.

Entitlement to free childcare is being extended to the parents of younger children.  However, fieldwork for this survey pre-dates these changes.  Therefore, results are reported on the basis of the entitlements in place at the time of the Survey.

Introduction

This section shows the proportion of providers looking after children funded through entitlements, the proportion of providers where parents can use funded hours throughout the year and the proportion of providers where parents can use funded hours throughout the day.

Findings

Providers were asked whether any of the 2-year-olds they provided childcare to were funded through the 15-hour entitlement.

The proportion that said they had 2-year-olds funded through the 15-hour entitlement was much higher for school-based providers (80 per cent) and group-based providers (85 per cent) than it was for childminders (24 per cent). However, on average, many more children attend school-based and group-based providers than attend a childminder.

Figures for 2023 were in line with those for 2022.

A higher proportion of providers had 3- to 4-year-olds funded under 15-hour entitlements than 2-year-olds. This is because all parents of 3- to 4-year-old children are eligible for the 15-hour entitlement whereas only certain parents of 2-year-old children are eligible.  In 2023, with the exception of childminders (62 per cent), over 90 per cent of providers had one or more child funded through the entitlement.

The proportion of school-based providers and childminders delivering the 15 hour entitlement for 3- to 4-year-old children increased between 2022 and 2023.  The proportion of group-based providers delivering the entitlement stayed the same.

Seventy-nine per cent of all school-based providers (an increase from 74 per cent in 2022) and 93 per cent of all group-based providers (in line with 92 per cent in 2022) provided childcare to a 3- to 4-year-old child funded through the 30 hour entitlement in 2023.   

A smaller proportion of childminders had children receiving the 30 hour 3- to 4-year-old entitlement (72 per cent, in line with 70 per cent in 2022).  However, on average, fewer children attend a childminder than attend other types of providers.

Restrictions on use of entitlements

Private group-based providers are the most likely to offer entitlements throughout the year.  Fifty-three per cent offer the 15-hour entitlement for 2-year-olds; 59 per cent offer the 15-hour entitlement for 3- to 4-year olds; and 66 per cent offer the 30-hour entitlement for 3- to 4-year-olds both during and outside of term-time.

This proportion was a lot lower for school-based providers, although these are less likely to be open outside of term-time.

School-based providers were more likely than other providers to restrict entitlements to certain sessions or hours of the day.   Forty-seven per cent restricted the 15-hour entitlement for 2-year-olds, 52 per cent restricted the 15-hour entitlement for 3- to 4-year-olds and 42 per cent restricted the 30-hour entitlement for 3- to 4-year-olds.  

Childminders were the least likely to restrict entitlements to certain hours of the day.  Nearly 90 per cent of childminders had no restrictions on when the entitlement was offered.

Sixth-three per cent of school-based providers were signed up to receive Tax-Free Childcare payments in 2023, an increase from 47 per cent in 2022.  Group-based providers have the highest proportion signed up to receive Tax-Free Childcare payments (95 per cent, an increase from 92 per cent in 2022), followed by childminders (91 per cent, in line with 88 per cent in 2022).

The proportion of parents paying for childcare using Tax-Free Childcare is higher in group-based providers (36 per cent) than school-based providers (16 per cent).  This proportion is highest for childminders - in 2023, 61 per cent of parents of children registered with a childminder used Tax-Free Childcare to pay for their childcare.

Thirty-nine per cent of school-based providers, 50 per cent of group-based providers and 41 per cent of childminders said that they had either a “very detailed” knowledge or knew “some details” of the childcare element of Universal Credit.  Twelve per cent of school-based providers, 6 per cent of group-based providers and 9 per cent of childminders said that they were “unaware” of it.

Further information

More detailed information, including sample sizes, can be found in additional tables available in the “supporting files” section of this release.

As well as the figures shown in this section, these tables show the reasons given by childcare providers who do not look after any children funded through the various “entitlements”.  Most providers do look after children funded under the entitlements so, due to limited sample sizes, we are not always able to provide a detailed breakdown of the reasons given by providers who do not look after any of these children.  For some providers (particularly childminders) “lack of demand” is a reason.  Other reasons given by providers include “funding rates are not sufficient” and “difficulties with completing additional paperwork”.

Further information about the entitlements and Tax-Free Childcare can be found here (opens in a new tab).

Section 9 - Special Educational Needs and Disabilities

Introduction

Providers were asked how many of the children registered with their setting had Special Educational Needs or Disabilities (SEND). They were asked to include children with and without formal support in place, as well as those whose needs had not yet been formally identified but who their staff had identified as potentially having SEND.

Findings

In 2023, 85 per cent of school-based providers cared for at least one child with SEND (in line with 83 per cent in 2022).  Group-based providers had the highest proportion of providers caring for at least one child with SEND (88 per cent, an increase from 83 per cent in 2022).  Childminders had the lowest proportion (25 per cent, an increase from 19 per cent in 2022).  However, on average, many more children attend school-based and group-based providers than attend a childminder.

In 2023, school-based providers had an average of 6 children with SEND and group-based providers had an average of 5 children with SEND (an estimated 16 per cent and 12 per cent of their registered places respectively). Childminders had the lowest proportion of registered places filled by children with SEND (6 per cent).

Almost all school-based providers (99 per cent) and group-based providers (98 per cent) have a colleague formally designated as a Special Education Needs Co-ordinator (SENCO), compared with only around a third (32 per cent) of childminders. 

Many childminders rely on access to an external SENCO (38 per cent).  Thirty-seven per cent of childminders, however, have access to neither an internal nor an external SENCO. 

Further information

More detailed information, including sample sizes, can be found in additional tables available in the “supporting files” section of this release.

In additional to the information shown in this section, these tables show, for instance, a breakdown of children registered at childcare providers by severity of SEND.

Section 10 - Provider fees and funding rates

Introduction

This section describes average fees charged to parents by childcare providers and the average funding rates paid to childcare providers by the government.

Findings

Fees charged by providers to parents

The mean hourly parent-paid fee charged for children aged under 2 was £6.05 per hour and for children aged 2 it was £6.07 per hour. 

Fees were slightly lower for pre-school children aged 3 and 4 (£5.90 per hour) and were lowest for school-age children (£5.68 per hour).

For the main groups of children by the survey (2-year-olds and 3- and 4-year-olds) private group-based providers charge parents the highest fees and childminders the lowest fees.

In 2023, private group-based providers were the most likely to have increased fees in the last 12 months. Eighty-seven per cent said that they had increased fees for children under 2, 80 per cent said that they had increased fees for children aged 2 and 79 per cent said that they had increased fees for children aged 3 and 4. 

School-based providers were the least likely to increase fees for children aged 2 (36 per cent) and children aged 3 and 4 (29 per cent).  Childminders were the least likely to increase fees for children aged under 2 (53 per cent).

In almost all cases, the proportion of providers that had increased fees in the previous 12 months was higher in 2023 than in 2022.  The proportion of group-based providers increasing fees for children aged 2 and children aged 3 and 4, for instance, increased from 64 per cent to 76 per cent, and from 63 per cent to 74 per cent respectively.

Overall, average fees for children under 2 years of age increased by 6.5 per cent between 2022 and 2023, from £5.68 per hour to £6.05 per hour.

Childminders had the lowest fees and increased them by less than inflation (4.8 per cent).  Fees charges by private group-based providers and voluntary group-based providers increased in line with inflation (by 7.5 per cent and 9.5 per cent respectively).

Hourly fees charged by school-based providers increased the most.  They increased by 20.3 per cent in nursery class childcare settings and by 10.2 per cent in maintained nursery schools.  However, not many school-based providers have children under the age of 2 enrolled with them, so these figures are based on small sample sizes (40 and 11 respondents to the survey respectively in 2023).

Overall, average fees for children aged 2 increased by 6.1 per cent between 2022 and 2023, from £5.72 per hour to £6.07 per hour.

Private group-based providers charged the highest fees (£6.98 per hour) and increased their fees in line with inflation (7.6 per cent).  Fees charged by school-based providers in 2023 were in line with those charged in 2022.  Childminders increased their fees by 5.3 per cent, below the rate of inflation.

Overall, average fees for pre-school children aged 3 and 4 increased by 5.5 per cent between 2022 and 2023, from £5.60 per hour to £5.90 per hour.

Same as for 2 year old children, private group-based providers charged the highest fees (£6.77 per hour) and increased their fees in line with inflation (7.6 per cent).  The fees charged by school-based providers in 2023 were in line with those charged in 2022 and, although childminders increased their fees, this increase (5.3 per cent) was below the rate of inflation.

Mean hourly fees were highest in London, followed by the South East and East of England.  They were lowest in Yorkshire and The Humber and the North East.

These figures mirror differences in average levels of disposable household income which in 2020 were highest in London (£29,890) and lowest in the North East (£17,416).

Differences in fees within regions were relatively small compared with differences between regions.  Within regions, fees for children of different age groups varied by up to 50p per hour.  Differences between regions, however, were much larger. The mean hourly fee for children under age two, for instance, was £5.15 in Yorkshire and The Humber, while in London it was £7.83, over 50% higher.

For children aged under two, mean hourly fees increased by between 3.8 per cent in the North West to 8.1 per cent in the South West.

For children aged two, mean hourly fees increased by between 4.8 per cent in the East Midlands to 8.1 per cent in the South West.

For pre-school children aged three and four, mean hourly fees increased by between 2.2 per cent in the East Midlands to 6.6 per cent in London.

The following tables and charts show mean and median fees in each local authority area.

In order to help interpret the mean, the tables show “95% confidence intervals”.  Based on the responses we received to the survey, we can be 95% confident that the mean for all providers in the local authority lies between the “lower” and “upper” values.

For children aged two, half of local authorities had mean parent-paid fees of between £5.25 and £6.25 per hour.

However, none of the 50 local authorities in the North of England (North East, North West and Yorkshire and The Humber) had a mean parent-paid fee of more than £6.25 per hour, and none of the 32 local authorities in London had a mean parent-paid fee of less than £6.25 per hour.

Twenty-five local authorities (Surrey in the South East and 24 local authorities in London) had a mean parent-paid fee of £7.00 per hour or more.

For pre-school children aged three and four, average fees charged by providers were slightly lower.

There were similar regional disparities to fees for children aged two.  None of the 73 local authorities in the North of England and East and West Midlands had a mean parent-paid fee of more than £6.25 per hour, and none of the 32 local authorities in London had a mean parent-paid fee of less than £6.25 per hour.

Twenty-three local authorities (Surrey in the South East and 22 local authorities in London) had a mean parent-paid fee of £7.00 per hour or more.

Funding rates paid by the government to providers

Free entitlement funding for 2 year old children is focused on disadvantaged children who attract higher rates of funding.  In contrast, all working parents of 3 and 4 year old children are eligible for 15 hours of free childcare.  As a result, mean funding rates are higher for 2 year old children than they are for children aged 3 and 4.

Mean funding rates for children aged 2 are highest for maintained nursery schools (£5.88) and lowest for childminders (£5.55).

In 2023, mean hourly funding rates increased by around 4 to 5 per cent, for all types of providers.

Maintained nursery schools have a higher proportion of children with special educational needs and disabilities than other types of providers.  This is reflected in mean funding rates, which are nearly £1 per hour higher for children aged 3 and 4 in maintained nursery schools (£5.68 per hour) than they are for childminders (£4.74 per hour).

In 2023, mean hourly funding rates increased by between 1.3 per cent for nursery class childcare settings to 8.2 per cent for maintained nursery schools.

Although there are differences between regions in mean funding rates, these differences are smaller than they are for fees charged to parents.

Mean hourly funding rates for children aged 2 are highest in London (£6.47 per hour) and lowest in the North West (£5.31 per hour).  

Mean hourly funding rates for children aged 3 and 4 are highest in London (£5.69 per hour) and lowest in the East Midlands (£4.49 per hour).

Differences between fees charged by providers to parents and funding rates paid by the government to providers

Three regions - the North East, Yorkshire and the Humber and East Midlands - have mean funding rates for children aged 2 that are slightly higher than the mean fees charged to parents.  The difference between the mean fee charged to parents and mean funding rate is biggest in regions where mean fees are the highest (London, the South East and East of England).

Mean fees charged to parents of children aged 3 and 4 are higher than mean funding rates in all regions.  Again, the difference between the mean fee charged to parents and mean funding rate is biggest in London, the South East and East of England.

Help and support

Methodology

Find out how and why we collect, process and publish these statistics.

Official statistics

These are Official Statistics and have been produced in line with the Code of Practice for Official Statistics.

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Find out more about the standards we follow to produce these statistics through our Standards for official statistics published by DfE guidance.

Our statistical practice is regulated by the Office for Statistics Regulation (OSR).

OSR sets the standards of trustworthiness, quality and value in the Code of Practice for Statistics that all producers of official statistics should adhere to.

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Email: EY.AnalysisANDResearch@education.gov.uk
Contact name: John Canlin

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