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Only biggest firms help with staff childcare

Larger employers are more aware of the benefits of employer-supported childcare and are more likely to set up a scheme for their staff than smaller companies who often claim they do not have enough employees and that it is 'not their responsibility'. These findings are contained in a recent research report commissioned by HM Revenue and Customs and produced by the National Centre for Social Research (NatCen) by interviewing about 3,600 organisations.

These findings are contained in a recent research report commissioned by HM Revenue and Customs and produced by the National Centre for Social Research (NatCen) by interviewing about 3,600 organisations.

The research found that around 17,000 organisations in the UK offered employer-supported childcare and 175,000 employees received financial help through these schemes. But these employers were predominantly large organisations.

Organisations in London and those with a higher proportion of female employers were among the most likely to offer employer-supported childcare, and childcare vouchers were twice as likely to be provided than either direct payments or direct provision in the form of workplace nurseries.

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