Lincolnshire mums tell us childcare costs are 'ridiculous'
Today we're expected to hear the Chancellor address childcare costs in the Spring Budget
Mums across Lincolnshire have been telling us how "unreasonable" childcare costs are, and in some cases it's leaving parents questioning whether they should return to work.
Today the Spring Budget is set to be announced and several women and men that suffer the costs of childcare are hoping to see it addressed.
We went to The Toy Library in Lincoln, it is a part of Children Links, which is a national children, young peoples’ and community services charity.
Whist at the play area, we spoke to several young mothers.
Each had similar things to say despite all being in different situations.
One woman is a single mum with two children, she's just returned to work and tells us how she's been managing:
"When I had my first daughter, we used to get 15 hours free childcare but obviously now it isn't free anymore, there's surcharges on top of that so it's really unreasonable. Especially because I've got two and I'm on my own, obviously I get funding because I'm on a low income but it is ridiculous because by the end of the month, it's like there's no point working because it's all gone, there's no leeway like there was anymore.
"It just doesn't feel very fair really, I think that parents should get more support with childcare and I think that there are situations where some parents can't work. But ultimately, there's not enough incentive anymore to say like, go back to work, you can have a lot more, you can enjoy a few more days out with the kids but you just can't do that at the moment."
Another said it was difficult to work and look after a child because of the cost:
"Just the expense of it is a lot, I only work part time but pretty much my whole wage goes on nursery fees so it's like, what's the point working, it seems pointless really. I mean they enjoy it so that's a good thing.
"Heidi, my oldest she started nursery at nine months old and my youngest is the same, just because I had to go back to work. So, my oldest has been in for almost three years now, I mean, the amount we would have spent on nursery over those three years - I don't even want to think about it, it's, a lot."
We also spoke with a young mum who is a dance teacher, she says things have been easier as her work hours are later than her husbands so they share the childcare at home between them:
"I do all the childcare between me and my husband, so I look after Ruby until I teach in the evening and then my mother in law will look after her, so we just do all we can to muck in and save on the cost of childcare because it's a fortune and a half.
"I'm a dance teacher and it doesn't earn enough, it's only a couple hours at a time, I'm freelance so I work kind of wherever the work takes me, so when the job comes in I go yep, I can do that, or ugh gosh, I have to figure out childcare. But Ruby is no stranger to a dance studio and rehearsals, and actually it's nice, I feel very lucky to have watched her grow up and do most of the childcare, which I know is not the case for everyone. It's a blessing and a curse at the same time."
The Chancellors Spring Budget is set to be announced around midday with an update on energy costs also expected.