WOMEN in Worcester are struggling to make ends meet due to sky-high childcare costs, with some reaching £15,000 per year.

Politicians say they are repeatedly contacted by parents who cannot afford to return to work - particularly women who have taken time off to care for young babies while on maternity leave.

Figures published this week revealed the average yearly expenditure for a child under two is £5,100, a figure which has increased six per cent in one year.

The Daycare Trust, which campaigns for cheaper daycare, says the average part-time childcare place, of 25 hours a week, typically costs £400 a month.

But it has found many examples of centres charging more, with the highest rate standing at £300 a week for the same number of hours, adding up to nearly £15,000 a year.

Parents have contacted your Worcester News to say they are faced with juggling the need to pay the household bills and keeping on top of their careers with soaring childcare costs.

City councillor Joy Squires, Labour’s parliamentary hopeful for Worcester, said: “I was speaking to one woman who had gone back to work after having a child and found all her money was being used up on childcare.

“She had to work because she needed to contribute and for the sake of her career, but she found she was effectively doing it for nothing because her salary was going on childcare costs.”

Mrs Squires spent a day outside the Guildhall canvassing women on what matters most to them earlier this month and said childcare costs came out on top.

Worcester’s Conservative MP Robin Walker also branded the issue a “very serious one”, saying constituents have contacted him with similar concerns.

In March, the Government announced plans for parents to claim back up to £1,200 a year in care costs per child to encourage parents to work.

The scheme, which will launch in 2015, will be for parents in employment only, and for children under five.

“The Prime Minister’s announcement is one I welcome, this is clearly an issue which is very important and one I find surprisingly common,” said Mr Walker.

“People have contacted me saying they are disappointed we’ve got to wait until 2015 and I agree with that, as if it’s a good idea, why not do it now? But I haven’t seen any solutions from Labour.”

Pressure groups have also welcomed the Government scheme, but say ministers could do more to ease the situation.

Anand Shukla, chief executive of the Daycare Trust, said: “Even after this welcome new funding becomes available, parents will be dealing with some of the highest childcare prices in the world.”