Jersey childcare costs 50% higher than UK - report

Childcare costs are 50% higher in Jersey compared to the UK, a report has found.

The Early Years report for 2024 published by the Policy Centre Jersey (PCJ) found parents paid an average of £9.90 for childcare in Jersey compared to £6.36 in the UK.

A new island scheme now allows any parent regardless of income or working requirements to apply to claim up to £6,270 per school year for two and three year olds, which the report noted.

PCJ found there was also a decline in births from 1,008 in 2016 to 716 in 2024, which it said was directly reducing "demand for early years provision" and creating a "surplus capacity in primary schools".

Deputy Sam Mézec said in August that the declining rate, combined with an ageing population, posed a huge challenge for the island.

The report also found Jersey continued to struggle with recruitment in the sector due to higher salaries in other areas.

It said: "The biggest short-term problem facing the sector is the difficulty of recruiting and retaining staff combined with increased costs that are not matched by increases in government support."

A total of 95% of parents who responded to a survey for the report rated affordability as "very poor" or "poor" and 79% said there were not enough childcare places.

The report said parents and carers felt "childcare providers tend to offer limited or inflexible hours, with a lack of holiday provision, early morning and evening sessions".

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