Rising parenting costs are causing difficulties for families, whether it’s childcare they’re forking out on, or higher education fees. But what will 2019 bring, and how can parents better manage their finances?
Understanding the true cost of raising children in 2019 can help you plan your finances
The total cost of raising a child to 18 is £75,436 for a couple
The cost of raising a child was steadily increasing, but actually dropped this year according to the Child Poverty Action Group (CPAG).
According to the CPAG, the cost of raising a child (excluding housing, childcare and council tax) from birth to 18 is now:
You can read up about the costs in more detail in our article about how to save in the first 12 months of parenthood.
A recent report revealed that the cost of childcare rose four times faster than wages between 2008 and 2016, and in London seven times faster.
Based on this growth, childcare costs are expected to increase in 2019 as well, especially with the government ending the childcare voucher scheme in October 2018. The vouchers are being replaced by Tax-Free Childcare, which is already available.
‘We missed out on the first few months of Tax-Free Childcare after our daughter went to nursery as it's so badly promoted,’ says journalist and mum Shannon Kyle (@ShannonDotKyle). ‘It was only through a friend we heard about it and immediately signed up. The system is hard to navigate and sometimes goes wrong, but it does save us 20% per month on fees, which adds up to about £150 – a great saving.’
Make sure you take advantage of the options available to parents, which can be read in more detail in our article on financing childcare.
Mintel data also suggests that mothers often have to return to work after giving birth due to high childcare costs. In 2017, 4.9 million mothers with dependent children were in work, up from 3.7 million in 1996.
Of course, money is only one factor. Women are now less likely to choose being a stay-at-home mother over their career ambitions. In fact, 24% of new mothers were more interested in their career after having a child.
According to the latest Office of National Statistics (ONS) release, the average UK weekly household spend was £572.60 in 2017. However, there was a significant disparity in the highest and lowest spending regions of around £200 a week.
The average UK weekly household spend was £554.20 in 2017
Continuing cuts to the education budget could see schools relying more and more on parents’ voluntary payments.
Parents in the UK don’t actually spend much on education when compared to their other costs, due to the state school system. In fact, only 1% of the average household spend goes towards education, according to the ONS.
Parents aren’t obliged to help fund their schools, though, and children can’t be exempted from activities that need parental funding because their parents can’t pay. Of course, there will be parents spending more on education.
There are establishments that are finding novel ways to provide affordable private education despite the cuts, including The Independent Grammar School: Durham – a private school that opened its doors at the start of the 2018 school year, which is charging parents £52 per week.
‘If your child is still young, then start saving for their higher education now,’ recommends Kalpana Fitzpatrick, financial journalist and founder of MummyMoneyMatters.com (@MumMoneyMatters). ‘One if the best ways to kick start their university fund is a stocks and shares Junior ISA. This is a long-term investment option for five years, or ideally 10 years, but the return potential is much higher than that of a cash ISA.
‘But beware: once the money is in, it belongs to the child to do as they please with when they’re 18,’ she adds.
If your children are looking at higher education options, but aren’t sure where the money for fees will come from, why not consider studying abroad? Universities in France, Germany and Norway are free for EU/EEA students, and many have courses taught in English.