The research by the Joseph Rowntree Foundation (JRF) found that the minimum amount a couple with two children need to make for a socially acceptable standard of living has risen by nearly a third since 2008, because of soaring childcare and transport costs and cuts to tax credits.
Two parents need to earn at least £18,400 each, or £36,800 if only one parent works, to support themselves and two children in 2012, an increase of £5,000 on 2008 when the JRF’s first report was published.
According to the report, ‘A Minimum Income Standard for The UK in 2012: Keeping up in hard times’, minimum costs of childcare have risen by nearly a third since 2008, based on the Daycare Trust’s Childcare Costs Survey, and childcare is now families’ single biggest weekly outgoing.
Register now to continue reading
Thank you for visiting Nursery World and making use of our archive of more than 35,000 expert features, subject guides, case studies and policy updates. Why not register today and enjoy the following great benefits:
What's included
-
Free access to 4 subscriber-only articles per month
-
Unlimited access to news and opinion
-
Email newsletter providing activity ideas, best practice and breaking news
Already have an account? Sign in here