Understanding your household finances after childcare is an important part of planning a return to work. Full-time nursery costs average £239/week in England and £240/week in Scotland, though prices vary considerably by region — from £205/week in Yorkshire to £332/week in London.
This calculator uses 2025/26 income tax and National Insurance rates for both England and Scotland to model your take-home pay, then deducts childcare costs to show what remains. It can also factor in Tax-Free Childcare and funded hours deductions. Childcare costs typically decrease at key milestones: age 2 (funded hours for eligible families) and age 3 (15 universal hours for all children in England). Our guide to nursery costs provides regional cost data.
This tool provides guidance estimates only. Eligibility, funding, and costs can vary by location and individual circumstances.
Cost assumptions reference Coram Family and Childcare Survey 2025 data.
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