Two-thirds of England’s poorest families miss out on childcare, report finds

Only a third of the poorest parents with young children use formal childcare, compared with nearly three-quarters of the highest-earning families. Photograph: Jacek Makowicz/Alamy

Two-thirds of the poorest families in England are missing out on childcare, according to a report.

Analysis by the Institute for Public Policy Research (IPPR) and Save the Children has found that access to affordable and good-quality childcare is defined by class. Among the poorest fifth of parents with young children, only a third (36%) use formal childcare, compared with double that (73%) of the highest-earning families.