Parents being handed £677 compensation each over 'unfair' nursery fees

A national newspaper expose earlier this year showed nurseries had begun charging parents new fees following the introduction of extra free childcare hours in April.

Parents are getting paid £677 in compensation after fighting unfair "free hours" nursery fees. A national newspaper expose earlier this year showed nurseries had begun charging parents new fees following the introduction of extra free childcare hours in April.

The Sun newspaper reported how "supplementary fees", "registration fees" and new "consumables charges" were being added. The Sun has now learned that one parent has won back £677 from his local council after complaining that his nursery was charging him a "supplementary fee" per hour of free childcare.

Alex Hays* from near Dover in Kent, was awarded £677 by Kent County Council following a five-month battle over the fees. The letter blamed the fee hike on a "turbulent economy" and "inflationary pressures" putting it under financial pressure.

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"Together, these factors mean we will need to introduce a fee increase from 1st April 2024," the letter said. "I knew they probably shouldn't have been charging the fees, but when they increased them I decided I'd had enough," Alex said.

"I asked for an itemised breakdown of what the fees were paying for, but they just said it was for consumables like food and refused to give me an actual breakdown." Alex went on: "The guidelines are very clear, working parents absolutely cannot be forced to pay extra fees by providers and shouldn't feel that they have to in order to receive or continue receiving free childcare.

"If you are a parent and want to pay fees for additional services, that's completely up to you, but I'd encourage you to at least ask what it's paying for." A Department for Education spokesperson told The Sun: “We have published statutory guidance for local authorities which makes clear that extra charges for consumables or additional hours should not be made a condition of accessing a free place – and continue to monitor this issue closely.”