ABOUT one in three working parents with pre-school children spend more than a third of their wages on childcare, a new survey reveals.  

The new poll, carried out for the TUC by BritainThinks, also shows that around a seventh — 15 per cent — say that the costs eat up more than half of their pay.

About a third of black, minority ethnic and disabled working parents report forking out more than 30 per cent of their wages on childcare, as opposed to 16 per cent of white and non-disabled workers. 

The poll consulted 2,209 people across England and Wales in December 2021. 

The TUC urged Tory ministers to provide an urgent cash boost for the sector, develop a long-term plan to grow wages across the economy and work with unions and employers on sector-wide fair pay agreements. 

TUC general secretary Frances O’Grady warned of “huge pressure on family budgets” as real-term wages fall and inflation skyrockets.

“We desperately need a plan or too many families will have to choose between heating or putting food on the table,” she said.  

Shadow children and early years minister Helen Hayes said that Labour would halt next month’s planned rise in National Insurance and pursue a one-off windfall tax on oil and gas producers to help ease the “extortionate” costs. 

Pregnant Then Screwed founder Joeli Brearley told the Morning Star: “Most other countries have an early years sector which is affordable and good quality — why can’t we get this right?”

With a full-time place costing £12,376 a year on average, Britain has the third most expensive childcare system in the world behind Slovakia and Switzerland, according to the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development.

A government spokesperson said: “The early years of a child’s life are the most crucial, which is why we have invested more than £3.5 billion in each of the last three years to deliver the free childcare offers, including the 30 hours per week for working parents. We are also investing millions in Family Hubs where families can access important support services.

“To support working families more widely, we also recently announced the biggest ever increase in the national living wage since its introduction from April 2022 and thanks to the action we’ve taken, unemployment continues to fall with more employees on payrolls than ever before.”