As a full-time PR officer and the only parent in her household, Kate Shadbolt’s two-year-old son needs nursery care 40 hours per week. Taking into account her tax credits and child benefit, childcare still costs her £600 per month. “I’m privileged enough to have two degrees from world-class universities and a higher than average salary, so I’m often left wondering how others in a domestic situation similar to mine, earning less, are able to juggle the costs of family life and childcare fees, while working full time”, the 27-year-old says.
Earlier this year, a survey by the Family and Childcare Trust found that the cost of childcare had increased by a third in just five years. But a recent surge in support for the opposition’s most left wing leadership candidate could see this financial pressure, and more, be alleviated from women all over the country. Could it be possible that, come 2020, mothers in the UK will no longer have to worry about paying for childcare.
If the polls are to be believed, Jeremy Corbyn is on course to be the next leader of the Labour Party: last week’s YouGov poll put him at 46 per cent, significantly ahead of previous favourite Andy Burnham on 26 per cent.
