Many parents face a difficult calculation when parental leave ends, as nursery fees can absorb most or all of a second parent's take-home pay. Additional costs such as commuting, work clothes, and holiday childcare can make returning to work appear to cost the family money.
This dilemma affects both mothers and fathers, though women are more frequently reducing hours or leaving employment for care. This contributes to the 'motherhood penalty', which involves long-term losses in earnings, pension contributions, and career progression.
Campaign groups Pregnant Then Screwed and The Dad Shift are advocating for six weeks of well-paid leave for fathers and partners. The Fatherhood Institute suggests this should include a non-transferable 'daddy month', ideally coinciding with the mother's return to work.
In England, eligible working parents can receive up to 30 hours of funded childcare per week from the term after their child reaches nine months until they start school. However, these funded hours typically cover 38 weeks of the year, and providers may charge for extra hours, meals, and other consumables.
For families not receiving Universal Credit childcare, Tax-Free Childcare can reduce eligible bills by 20%. For every £8 paid into an account, the Government adds £2, up to £2,000 per child annually, or £4,000 for a disabled child.