How much does nursery cost in England? Fees, funded hours and help in 2026
Average nursery fees in England in 2026 by age and region, what funded hours and Tax-Free Childcare take off the bill, and how to compare nursery quotes.
A nursery place in England costs very different amounts depending on your child's age, the hours you need, where you live and whether you get funded hours. The most recent national figures, from the Coram Childcare Survey 2026, put the average price of 25 hours a week at a nursery for a child under 2 at £188.75 a week for families who do not get funded hours. For working parents using the 30 funded hours, a full-time place of 50 hours a week averages £148.82 a week for an under 2 and £132.72 for a 3 or 4 year old. All three figures are for term-time weeks.
Those averages are a starting point, not a quote. Your real bill also depends on holiday weeks, meals and consumables, and the help you can get from Tax-Free Childcare or Universal Credit. This guide sets out the published averages, explains what moves the price, and shows how to compare quotes. For who qualifies for funded hours and when to apply, see our guide to funded childcare hours.
Average nursery costs in England in 2026
Coram Family and Childcare has surveyed childcare prices every year since 2001. The 2026 edition, published on 18 March 2026, uses prices reported by council Family Information Services between November 2025 and January 2026. The figures are average weekly prices in a nursery during term time, weighted by each area's child population and number of providers. They are not prices from any one nursery.
| Child's age | 25 hours a week | 50 hours a week (full time) |
|---|---|---|
| Under 2, no funded hours | £188.75 | £372.06 |
| Under 2, working parents' 30 funded hours | Nothing for the hours in term time | £148.82 (paying for 20 hours) |
| 2 year old, no funded hours | £174.85 | £351.81 |
| 2 year old, 15 hours for families getting extra support | £69.94 (paying for 10 hours) | Not reported |
| 2 year old, working parents' 30 funded hours | Nothing for the hours in term time | £140.72 (paying for 20 hours) |
| 3 and 4 year olds, universal 15 hours only | £67.20 (paying for 10 hours) | Not reported |
| 3 and 4 year olds, working parents' 30 funded hours | Nothing for the hours in term time | £132.72 (paying for 20 hours) |
Source: Coram Childcare Survey 2026, Tables 3, 5, 7, 9 and 13.
Two things stand out. For eligible working families, a 25-hour term-time place is now, as Coram puts it, theoretically free, although a nursery can still ask for a refundable deposit or voluntary charges for things like meals and consumables. And the gap between eligible and ineligible families is large: Coram found the average cost of 25 hours for an under 2 without funded hours rose by 4.6% on 2025, while the full-time price for eligible working families fell by about 39% for under 2s and 2 year olds as their funded hours went from 15 to 30.
Nursery costs by region
Prices are highest in London. These are Coram's regional averages for a nursery place, sorted from most to least expensive for 25 hours.
| Region | Under 2, 25 hours, no funded hours | Under 2, 50 hours, with 30 funded hours | 3 and 4 year olds, 50 hours, with 30 funded hours |
|---|---|---|---|
| England | £188.75 | £148.82 | £132.72 |
| Inner London | £238.01 | £185.10 | £179.13 |
| Outer London | £216.94 | £171.39 | £158.31 |
| South East | £201.91 | £161.28 | £144.17 |
| East of England | £191.75 | £154.56 | £135.03 |
| South West | £180.64 | £145.34 | £122.37 |
| North West | £178.01 | £135.54 | £120.32 |
| West Midlands | £174.83 | £141.79 | £132.75 |
| North East | £166.30 | £140.30 | £116.64 |
| East Midlands | £165.32 | £127.70 | £122.71 |
| Yorkshire and the Humber | £156.15 | £126.38 | £118.26 |
Source: Coram Childcare Survey 2026, Tables 3, 7 and 9. Coram notes that some regions contain few councils, so a handful of large councils can move a regional figure noticeably.
Hourly nursery fees
Nurseries often quote an hourly, session or daily rate rather than a weekly one. The Department for Education's Childcare and early years provider survey, official statistics published on 11 December 2025, asked providers what they charge parents per hour for the hours parents pay for (the "parent-paid fee"). The fieldwork ran from May to July 2025.
| Type of provider | Under 2 | 2 year olds | 3 and 4 year olds |
|---|---|---|---|
| Private group-based providers (privately owned nurseries and pre-schools) | £8.38 | £8.13 | £7.86 |
| Voluntary group-based providers (run by community or charitable organisations) | £7.74 | £7.08 | £6.75 |
| Maintained nursery schools | Small sample | £7.63 | £6.82 |
| School nursery classes | Small sample | £6.91 | £6.16 |
| Childminders | £6.36 | £6.30 | £6.21 |
| All providers | £7.18 | £7.09 | £6.78 |
Source: DfE, Childcare and early years provider survey 2025, mean hourly parent-paid fee. The under 2 figures for school-based providers come from fewer than 30 responses, which the DfE says are only indicative, so we leave them out.
By region, the DfE found mean hourly fees highest in London (£8.95 for under 2s, £8.92 for 2 year olds and £8.60 for 3 and 4 year olds) and lowest in Yorkshire and The Humber (£6.19, £6.14 and £5.82). Private group-based providers were also the most likely to have raised their fees in the previous 12 months, and school-based providers the least likely. The next edition is due in December 2026.
What the averages leave out
Holiday weeks
Funded hours are given for 38 weeks a year, roughly the school terms. If you need care for more of the year, a nursery can either give your funded hours in term time and charge full price in the other weeks, or, if it offers this, stretch them: fewer funded hours a week over more weeks. The DfE's statutory guidance gives the example of 30 hours a week (1,140 hours a year) stretched over 48 weeks, which comes to around 23 hours a week.
This matters because Coram's figures are term-time prices. For a full-time under 2, Coram puts the weekly cost outside term time, with no funded hours, at £372 in 2026. To estimate a year's bill, ask each nursery for its weekly price in term time and in holiday weeks, and multiply each by the number of weeks you will use.
Meals, nappies and other extras
Government funding is not meant to pay for meals, consumables, extra hours or optional activities, so many nurseries charge for these on top of the hours. On funded hours those charges must be voluntary, and the nursery must offer a reasonable alternative such as bringing your own food or nappies. It must not charge top-up fees or compulsory "enrichment" or "sustainability" charges. Our funded hours guide sets out the full list of what a nursery can and cannot charge.
Funding and fees do not line up neatly. The DfE's 2025 survey found average funding rates for under 2s were higher than average fees, by around £3 to £3.50 an hour, while for 3 and 4 year olds the average fee was higher than the funding rate, by between 40p an hour in Yorkshire and The Humber and £2.07 in London.
What decides the price you pay
- Your child's age. The EYFS statutory framework requires at least one member of staff for every three children under 2, one for every five 2 year olds, and one for every eight children aged 3 and over (or 13 where a qualified teacher or equivalent works directly with the children). More staff per child helps explain why hourly fees are highest for babies.
- The hours and sessions you book. Ask whether a nursery charges by the hour, by the session or only for full days, because that changes what a short day costs. Check whether a session's funded hours line up with the hours your child is actually there.
- Where you live. Both surveys show London is the most expensive region and Yorkshire and the Humber among the cheapest.
- The type of setting. In the DfE survey, private nurseries and pre-schools charged the highest average hourly fees, and voluntary and school-based settings less. School nurseries often run during school hours in term time only. Our guide to school nursery or private nursery compares them.
- Which funded hours the nursery offers. Nurseries do not have to offer every entitlement or pattern, so the same family can pay very different amounts at two settings on the same street.
- What is included. One nursery's fee may include meals, nappies and trips; another may list each separately.
How funded hours change the bill
In England there are three funded offers, each for up to 38 weeks a year, and together they can never come to more than 30 hours a week:
- 30 hours for working parents, from the term after your child turns 9 months until they start in Reception, if you meet the earnings rules.
- 15 hours for every 3 and 4 year old, from the term after their third birthday, whatever you earn.
- 15 hours for some 2 year olds in families who get certain benefits or support, or whose child has an EHC plan or gets Disability Living Allowance.
Hours start on 1 January, 1 April or 1 September. For the working parents' hours you apply online, get a code, and must reconfirm it every 3 months. The next deadline is 31 December 2026 for hours from January 2027. Our funded hours guide has the full eligibility rules and a table showing when hours start for your child's date of birth.
Tax-Free Childcare
Tax-Free Childcare pays 20% of what you spend on childcare. You open an online childcare account, and for every £8 you pay in, the government adds £2. GOV.UK's own example: for a £250 bill, you pay in £200 and the government adds £50.
- The limit. Up to £500 every 3 months per child (£2,000 a year), or £1,000 every 3 months (£4,000 a year) if your child is disabled.
- What it pays for. Paid hours at a registered nursery, childminder, nanny or club, plus extras such as nappies, meals and trips supplied by the provider. The provider must be signed up to the scheme, so check before you apply.
- With funded hours. You can use it for everything on top of your funded hours.
- Who can get it. Broadly the same working parents who qualify for the 30 hours: you, and your partner if you have one, must each expect to earn at least £2,643.68 over the next 3 months if aged 21 or over, and neither of you can have an adjusted net income over £100,000. Your child qualifies until the September after they turn 11, or 16 if disabled.
- Keeping it. You must sign in every 3 months to confirm your details, or the top-ups stop.
You cannot get Tax-Free Childcare while you claim Universal Credit or childcare vouchers. The same GOV.UK application checks both Tax-Free Childcare and the working parents' hours.
Universal Credit childcare costs
If you get Universal Credit, you can claim back up to 85% of your childcare costs, up to a monthly maximum of:
- £1,071.09 for one child
- £1,836.16 for two or more children
You, and your partner if you live together, usually need to be working (the number of hours does not matter) or have a job offer, unless one of you cannot work because of a disability or health condition. The childcare must be from a registered provider. You normally pay the nursery first and claim the money back through your Universal Credit payment; if you cannot afford to pay upfront, ask your work coach about help with the upfront cost.
Universal Credit can be used alongside funded hours, to pay for extra hours and charges. It cannot be combined with Tax-Free Childcare. If you are thinking of switching, GOV.UK advises waiting for a decision on your Tax-Free Childcare application before cancelling your Universal Credit claim, and its childcare calculator can show which gives you more.
Childcare vouchers and workplace nurseries
Childcare vouchers are closed to new applicants. If you joined your employer's scheme, and your wages were adjusted, on or before 4 October 2018, you can keep using it while you stay with the same employer, the employer keeps running the scheme, and you do not take an unpaid career break of more than a year. It lets you take up to £55 a week of your wages without paying tax or National Insurance, depending on your earnings and when you joined.
If you move to Tax-Free Childcare, you must tell your employer within 90 days and you cannot rejoin the voucher scheme later. You can still spend vouchers you already have.
A workplace nursery provided by your employer is also free of tax and National Insurance. Cash your employer gives you for childcare, or nursery fees it pays for you, are taxed.
Which kinds of help can you combine?
| Combination | Allowed? |
|---|---|
| Funded hours and Tax-Free Childcare | Yes |
| Funded hours and Universal Credit childcare costs | Yes |
| Funded hours and childcare vouchers | Yes |
| Tax-Free Childcare and Universal Credit | No |
| Tax-Free Childcare and childcare vouchers | No, except spending vouchers you already hold |
Source: GOV.UK, which says families getting Free Childcare for Working Parents can pay their provider for the rest using Universal Credit, childcare vouchers or Tax-Free Childcare.
Deposits, registration fees and notice periods
Nurseries may charge a registration fee to join the waiting list, a deposit to hold a place, or both, and set a notice period for leaving. For funded places, the statutory guidance tells councils to make sure nurseries do not charge a non-refundable registration fee or deposit as a condition of taking up the place, or a non-refundable retainer fee. A nursery can keep a deposit if you do not take up the place.
For paid hours, the terms are set by each nursery's contract, so read it before you sign. Ask:
- Is there a registration fee or deposit, how much is it, and is it refundable or taken off your first bill?
- How much notice do you need to give to leave or change days, and do you pay during the notice period?
- Do you pay for bank holidays, closure days, your own holidays and days your child is ill?
- How much notice does the nursery give before raising its fees, and when did it last raise them?
How to compare nursery quotes
Averages help you budget, but only a written quote tells you what one nursery will cost for your child. Ask every nursery on your shortlist for the same things, so you are comparing like with like:
- The total monthly or termly bill for your child's exact days and hours, before and after funded hours.
- Whether funded hours are term time only or stretched, and the price in holiday weeks.
- Which funded hours it offers (9 months, 2 year olds, 15 or 30 hours), and whether it limits them to certain sessions.
- What is included in the fee and what is extra: meals, snacks, milk, nappies, wipes, sun cream, trips and classes.
- Its alternatives if you do not want to pay for extras on funded hours, such as bringing a packed lunch.
- Whether it accepts Tax-Free Childcare, childcare vouchers and payments through Universal Credit.
- Any sibling or other discounts.
On funded hours, your invoice should list funded hours, paid hours, food, other consumables and activities separately, and before your child starts, the nursery should complete a parental declaration with you setting out your funded hours, your weekly pattern and any extras you have chosen to pay for. Nurseries should publish their charges for extras and the patterns of funded hours they offer, usually on their website, or through your council's Family Information Service if they have no website. If a nursery insists you pay for extras and will not agree an alternative, GOV.UK says to speak to your council.
Price is only part of the decision. Our guide to choosing a nursery covers ratios, Ofsted reports and the questions to ask on a visit.
How FindMySchool helps
- Find settings close to home or work with nurseries near me, or search nurseries and childcare by place.
- Browse nurseries by city and London borough, for example in London, Kingston upon Thames, Richmond upon Thames and Nottingham.
- Open a nursery's profile for its Ofsted inspection history, contact details and, where we have them, opening hours.
- Where we have reviewed a nursery, the review's practical information usually summarises what the nursery itself publishes about funded places and paid extras such as meals and consumables, and sometimes links to its fees page. Our reviews do not quote prices, and most profiles do not have a review yet, so always ask the nursery for a current written quote.
FindMySchool lists group settings, such as day nurseries, pre-schools and school nurseries, but not childminders. To find a registered childminder, contact your council's Family Information Service.
Looking further ahead? Our guide to private school fees covers what fee-paying schools cost.
Before you commit to a nursery, do three things: check which funded hours you can get and apply before the deadline, ask for a written quote for your exact pattern including holiday weeks and extras, and set up Tax-Free Childcare or Universal Credit childcare costs for the part funded hours do not cover.
Frequently asked questions
It depends on your child's age, how many hours you need and whether you get funded hours. The Coram Childcare Survey 2026 found that a family not eligible for funded hours pays an average of £188.75 a week for 25 hours at a nursery for a child under 2. With the 30 funded hours for working parents, a full-time place of 50 hours a week averages £148.82 for an under 2 and £132.72 for a 3 or 4 year old. These are term-time averages, and prices are higher in London.