One in ten nursery workers are paid below minimum wage

Many nursery workers, who you trust to look after your kids, are struggling to look after themselves.

That's the shocking claims today as we can reveal 20 thousand nursery workers are paid BELOW the minimum wage.

Susan Cawthorne is from Bridges Nursery in Gateshead, they DO pay their staff above minimum wage,

She explains this is not a surprise to her though;

“It’s all about fees in the private sector, you’ve got to get the money in from the fees to provide the childcare to give to the staff,

“So unless we’re putting in a huge hike in childcare fees and make it less affordable, you can’t do it – it doesn’t balance.”

According to the Family and Childcare trust; staff over the age of 25 are entitled to a minimum wage of £7.20 per hour - adding up to about £13,000 a year - but the Department for Education’s own data shows that 10 per cent of nursery workers are not receiving even this much. Increases to the minimum wage are the lynchpin of the Government’s strategy to tackle poverty - but this could be left in tatters without a crackdown on employers not meeting this minimum standard.

Ellen Broome, Deputy Chief Executive of the Family and Childcare Trust, said:

“Nursery workers care for and educate the next generation - this important role deserves decent pay. But instead they are being exploited and paid illegal poverty wages.

“This cannot be right. Central and local government must act immediately to make sure that every childcare worker is paid a decent wage and that tax payers’ money does not go to employers who break the law.

“High quality childcare does not come on the cheap. Paying staff at least the minimum wage will help make sure children get the high quality care that sets them up for school and improves their long term outcomes.”