NEW figures show the cost of childcare for parents in Northumberland.
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, Ellen Broomé, managing director of Coram Family and Childcare, said high costs have been an issue for many years.
New estimates from the Department for Education suggest parents in Northumberland were paying £5.41 an hour in 2023 to have their two-year-olds looked after – less than the England average of £6.07.
The Department for Education surveyed 32 childcare providers for two-year-olds in Northumberland and 43 for those aged three and four.
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