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The soaring cost of childcare in the UK is revealed in new figures today, suggesting nurseries will raise fees by £1,000 this year.

A survey of 1,156 providers by the Early Years Alliance found nine out of 10 expect to increase fees, typically in April, and by an average of 8% – higher than in previous years.

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Nursery costs gfx for Tamara Cohen story

UK childcare costs are already among the most expensive in the world, with full-time fees for a child under two at nursery reaching an average £269 a week last year – or just under £14,000 annually.

An 8% rise would take that to more than £15,000.

Nursery costs gfx for Tamara Cohen story

Three and four-year-olds in England attending a nursery or childminder are eligible for either 15 or 30 free hours a week depending on whether their parents work, so their costs are a lot lower.

There are different schemes in Wales and Scotland.

But the concern is that by this stage many parents – particularly mothers – have felt forced to drop out of work or cut their hours.

Tory MPs have been pressing the chancellor to take measures to make childcare more affordable in the March budget in order to reduce pressure on families, and enable more women to re-enter the workforce.

But an option to extend free hours to all two-year-olds is understood to have been ruled out.

Most nurseries and childminders surveyed – 87% – said the money they get from the government does not cover their costs to provide the “free” hours – leaving them out of pocket.

More than half of providers (51%) said they had operated at a loss last year. A handful said they were looking at fee increases of as much as 25%.

Nursery costs gfx for Tamara Cohen story

Becky Burdaky, 26, from Wythenshawe, Greater Manchester, told Sky News she had taken the “daunting” decision to leave her job in sales after having her second child, Bobby, last year.

Her daughter Harriet, aged three, goes to pre-school near their home, but the family found the costs they would face for their baby son beyond their reach.

She will stay at home and they will live on the wages of her partner Steve, an electrician.

‘Not asking other people to pay for my kids’

Becky said: “When we looked into the fees it was £70 a day – it would have been all of my wage. With Harriet it was about £54, so that’s a huge difference.

“And if he was home poorly, I wouldn’t get paid but I’d still have to pay his fee. Once we sat down and worked it out I would have been paying to go to work.

“I never envisaged myself being a stay-at-home mum, you know just cooking and cleaning and bringing up children, as I’ve always worked.

Becky Burdaky
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Becky says she could be starting from the bottom again when she returns to work

“It’s our decision to have children – I’m not asking other people to pay for my children. And I definitely don’t want people’s taxes to go up because of it.

“But I think slightly subsidising the cost of fees so it’s affordable for working parents means we can work and contribute.

“You don’t know what it’s going to be like when you return to work, you’re starting from the bottom.”

The campaign group Pregnant Then Screwed surveyed 27,000 parents last year and found nearly two thirds paid more for childcare than their rent or mortgage.

Although childcare costs have risen significantly in recent years, many providers are struggling to stay in business – with 5,400 closing their doors in the year to August 2022.

Nursery costs gfx for Tamara Cohen story

Fees for the youngest children, aged under three, are often used to keep the nurseries in business, and the rising cost of living means parents are cutting back.

What support is available?

  • Tax free childcare [all ages] for every £8 you pay in, the government put in £2
  • 15 free hours for two-year-olds in England who are disabled or on certain benefits
  • 15 free hours for all three and four-year-olds up to 38 weeks a year [10 in Wales]
  • 30 free hours for three and four-year-olds with working parents for 38 weeks a year in England and Scotland [48 weeks in Wales]
  • Support for those on Universal Credit up to a maximum of £646 per child or £1108 for two

‘I’ve put my savings in to cover wages’

Delia Morris is the owner of Morris Minors pre-school in Croxley Green, Hertfordshire, where children used to start aged two but are now increasingly starting at three.

She is paid £5.41 an hour by the local authority for their free hours, but says providing it costs her around £7.

“Children come in later, when they are funded,” she said.

“That’s had a huge impact. I did raise my fees a very small amount this year but it doesn’t cover it because we only have one or two children doing a couple of sessions a week [that parents pay for].

“I’ve had to put my own savings in to cover the wages last summer, and the staff had to drop a session.”

As to what the government should do, she said: “They have to put money in. It’s difficult to say, but I have to be realistic that if I can’t make ends meet I will have to close and that’s it.”

Delia Morris
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Delia Morris says the government should provide extra funding for childcare

Neil Leitch, chief executive of the Early Years Alliance, said the organisation had closed half of the 132 nurseries it operated in the last four years.

“They are exclusively in areas of deprivation, which seems to fly in the face of any levelling up agenda. These are families and children who would benefit most from support and care,” he said.

According to the OECD, the UK tops the table for the proportion of a mother’s income taken up by childcare costs – based on two children in full-time care.

‘The gender pay gap just explodes’

Christine Farquharson, education economist at the Institute for Fiscal Studies, said childcare costs for two-year-olds have risen twice as fast as inflation in the past decade – with a lasting effect on women’s pay.

“We ended up in a situation where the youngest children have the highest prices they’re ever going to pay, with the least access to government support,” she said.

“And it’s coming at this critical moment where parents are making decisions about whether or not to go back to work after they’ve been on parental leave.

“When mothers – and it is mostly mothers – make that choice to step back from the labour market it’s not just those few years. The gender pay gap just explodes and literally takes decades to come back to anything approaching the situation before they became parents.”

Proposals, championed by Liz Truss, to increase the ratio of children looked after by each adult, have attracted opposition from nurseries and parents.

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But Tory MPs are pressing the government to help parents with the cost of childcare by reducing business rates for nurseries or extending free hours to two-year-olds.

Robin Walker, chair of the education select committee, said some of the existing schemes are not working effectively – such as tax-free childcare – for which uptake is only around 40%.

Universal Credit claimants are also eligible to have up to 85% of their childcare costs funded but are put off by having to make upfront payments.

“There is money there that isn’t being used,” he said. “Upfront payment for Universal Credit and tax-free childcare are putting a lot of parents off using them at all.

“The government is already spending more than any previous government has in this space, but other countries in Europe are spending more particularly in the 0-2 age bracket.

“If we were to make the case for more investment it would unlock those opportunities for people to continue in the workplace and stimulate children in the early years.”

If they win power, Labour have promised an expansion of childcare from the end of maternity leave until the start of primary school.

Shadow education secretary Bridget Philipson told Sky News this would be a “key battleground issue” at the next election.

A Department for Education spokesperson said: “We recognise that families and early years providers across the country are facing financial pressures and we are currently looking into options to improve the cost, flexibility, and availability of childcare.

“We have spent more than £20bn over the past five years to support families with the cost of childcare and the number of places available in England has remained stable since 2015, with thousands of parents benefitting from this.”

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Women’s Euros: Concerns for player safety as tournament kicks off in Switzerland

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Women's Euros: Concerns for player safety as tournament kicks off in Switzerland

The Women’s Euros begin in Switzerland today – with extreme heat warnings in place.

Security measures have had to be relaxed by UEFA for the opening matches so fans can bring in water bottles.

Temperatures could be about 30C (86F) when the Swiss hosts open their campaign against Norway in Basel this evening.

Players have already seen the impact of heatwaves this summer at the men’s Club World Cup in the US.

Players take a drink during a training session of Spain soccer team at the Euro 2025, in Lausanne, Switzerland Tuesday, July 1, 2025 Pic: AP
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The Spain squad pauses for refreshments during a training session. Pic: AP

Read more: A complete guide to the Women’s Euros

It is raising new concerns in the global players’ union about whether the stars of the sport are being protected in hot and humid conditions.

FIFPRO has asked FIFA to allow cooling breaks every 15 minutes rather than just in the 30th minute of each half.

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There’s also a request for half-time to be extended from 15 to 20 minutes to help lower the core temperature of players.

FIFPRO’s medical director, Dr Vincent Gouttebarge, said: “There are some very challenging weather conditions that we anticipated a couple of weeks ago already, that was already communicated to FIFA.

“And I think the past few weeks were confirmation of all worries that the heat conditions will play a negative role for the performance and the health of the players.”

Football has seemed focused on players and fans baking in the Middle East – but scorching summers in Europe and the US are becoming increasingly problematic for sport.

Chloe Kelly celebrates with Beth Mead, right, after scoring her side's sixth goal at Wembley Stadium, in London, Friday, May 30, 2025. AP
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England are the tournament’s defending champions. Pic: AP

While climate change is a factor, the issue is not new and at the 1994 World Cup, players were steaming as temperatures rose in the US.

There is now more awareness of the need for mitigation measures among players and their international union.

FIFPRO feels football officials weren’t responsive when it asked for kick-off times to be moved from the fierce afternoon heat in the US for the first 32-team Club World Cup.

FIFA has to balance the needs of fans and broadcasters with welfare, with no desire to load all the matches in the same evening time slots.

Electric storms have also seen six games stopped, including a two-hour pause during a Chelsea game at the weekend.

This is the dress rehearsal for the World Cup next summer, which is mostly in the US.

Players are also feeling the heat at the Club World Cup in the US. Pic: AP
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Players are also feeling the heat at the Club World Cup. Pic: AP

The use of more indoor, air conditioned stadiums should help.

There is no prospect of moving the World Cup to winter, as Qatar had to do in 2022.

And looking further ahead to this time in 2030, there will be World Cup matches in Spain, Portugal and Morocco. The temperatures this week have been hitting 40C (104F) in some host cities.

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FIFA said in a statement to Sky News: “Heat conditions are a serious topic that affect football globally.

“At the FCWC some significant and progressive measures are being taken to protect the players from the heat. For instance, cooling breaks were implemented in 31 out of 54 matches so far.

“Discussions on how to deal with heat conditions need to take place collectively and FIFA stands ready to facilitate this dialogue, including through the Task Force on Player Welfare, and to receive constructive input from all stakeholders on how to further enhance heat management.

“In all of this, the protection of players must be at the centre.”

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Women’s Euros 2025: Where is it, how to watch and when are England and Wales playing?

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Women's Euros 2025: Where is it, how to watch and when are England and Wales playing?

England are looking to defend their title at the 2025 Women’s Euros.

But conquering this year’s competition will be tricky right from the group stages.

The Lionesses will come up against Wales, who made history by qualifying for their first major tournament, and two other European heavyweights: France and the Netherlands.

As the tournament kicks off, extreme temperatures have raised questions about whether players are being protected in hot and humid conditions.

Here is everything you need to know about Euro 2025.

Where is Euro 2025 being held?

This year’s Women’s Euros is being held in Switzerland.

The competition kicks off on Wednesday 2 July, with the final on Sunday 27 July.

Matches will be held in eight venues across Switzerland from Zurich to Geneva, with the final game being played in Basel.

What teams have qualified?

A total of 16 teams have qualified for the competition.

Eight teams progressed directly from the qualifying league stage and seven teams qualified via the play-offs.

As hosts, Switzerland qualified automatically.

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Is it too hot for football?

The teams playing in the tournament are:

• England
• Belgium
• Denmark
• Finland
• France
• Germany
• Iceland
• Italy
• Netherlands
• Norway
• Poland
• Portugal
• Sweden
• Spain
• Switzerland
• Wales

How much do the winners get?

This year, the total available prize money for the tournament stands at €41m (£34m) – more than doubling from the prize pot in 2022.

All competing sides receive a €1.8m (£1.5m) participation fee, with the remaining money going to the quarter-finalists, semi-finalists, runners-up and winners.

The maximum prize money achievable for the tournament winners, if they also win their three group stage matches, is €5.1m (£4.3m).

England are victorious at Women's Euro 2022
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England celebrate their victory at Women’s Euro 2022. Pic: Reuters

Who has (and hasn’t) made the England squad?

Some notable names will be missing from the England squad this year.

Goalkeeper Mary Earps announced in May that she is retiring from international football with immediate effect.

Within days, two other names, Fran Kirby and Millie Bright, also announced they would not be taking part in Euro 2025.

The departure of Bright, Earps and Kirby is a loss of three experienced players – between them they have 218 international appearances.

So who has manager Sarina Wiegman picked for the 23-person squad, and who has been snubbed?

Use our slider below to look through some of the key players, or see a list of the full England squad, here.

History-making Wales squad announced

The Welsh women’s national football team has qualified for an international tournament for the first time.

Their 23-player squad was announced by head coach Rhian Wilkinson at the summit of Yr Wyddfa (Snowdon) on Thursday morning.

Wales head coach Rhian Wilkinson following a squad announcement press conference at the summit of Yr Wyddfa in Snowdonia.
Pic: PA
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Rhian Wilkinson following the squad announcement at the summit of Yr Wyddfa. Pic: PA

Midfielder Angharad James captains the side, and is one of four players to have played over 100 times alongside fellow Wales veterans Jess Fishlock, Hayley Ladd and Sophie Ingle, who also made the cut.

Ingle hasn’t featured for club or country since suffering an ACL injury during a pre-season friendly for Chelsea last September.

The 33-year-old returned to full training at the beginning of the month and her inclusion comes as a significant boost ahead of Wales’ first major tournament.

Fishlock, Wales’ record appearance holder and goalscorer, will hope to add to her 47 international goals as she leads the line.

The side beat the Republic of Ireland 2-1 in a play-off match to secure their spot in the Euros.

Soccer Football - Women's Nations League - League A - Wales v Denmark - Cardiff City Stadium, Cardiff, Wales, Britain - April 4, 2025 Wales'
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Wales have qualified for an international tournament for the first time. Pic: Reuters

Wales head coach Rhian Wilkinson said after the match: “This team found a way. They never broke for each other, they stayed strong. I’ve never been prouder of a team.

“This team stands on the shoulders of giants [the pioneering female footballers] who came before, and now they’ve proven how good they are.”

Soccer Football - Women's Nations League - League A - Wales v Sweden - Racecourse Ground, Wrexham, Wales, Britain - February 25, 2025 Wales
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Welsh women’s manager Rhian Wilkinson. Pic: Reuters

What are the Euro 2025 groups?

Similarly to the World Cup, teams in the Euros are split into four groups.

The top two teams in each group will progress to the knockout stage, where games will be decided by extra-time and penalties if needed.

The knockout stage pits the winners of the group against the runners-up, meaning Germany, Poland, Denmark or Sweden could lie in wait for England and Wales in the last eight.

Group A: Switzerland, Norway, Iceland, Finland

Group B: Spain, Portugal, Belgium, Italy

Group C: Germany, Poland, Denmark, Sweden

Group D: France, England, Wales, Netherlands

When are England and Wales playing?

The Lionesses start their bid for the Euros title on 5 July when they take on France. The game will take place in Zurich at 8pm UK time.

Wales kick off their campaign earlier the same day, against the Netherlands. That game starts at 5pm UK time in Lucerne.

The two nations will be the last teams in Group D to face each other.

Their showdown will be held in the city of St Gallen, on Sunday 13 July. Kick-off is at 8pm UK time.

Can England win the Euros again?

The Lionesses lifted the Euros trophy in front of a home crowd in 2022, after beating Germany 2-1.

Chloe Kelly delivered the deciding goal in extra time, but can the team do it all again?

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Can England win the Euros again?

Lucy Bronze admitted to Sky News that the team faces “one of the hardest” groups going into the tournament, but added: “We know on any given day, when we play at our best we can beat any team in the world.”

The right-back said: “We have got one of the most talented squads going into the Euros… I wouldn’t want to be a defender on the other team going against some of our players.

“We know it is going to be difficult, there are maybe a handful of teams that are capable of winning it, and we are definitely one of them.”

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‘Handful of teams could win the Euros – we’re one’

After naming her squad in May, Weigman told Sky News sports correspondent Rob Harris: “This group is a very well-balanced mix of players with multiple tournaments on their CVs and also those that will make their tournament debuts.

“I am excited to see what we are capable of this summer.”

How to watch the Euros 2025

Eevery single match of the Women’s Euros will be shown across the BBC and ITV, with the two broadcasters showing half of the 31 matches each, except the final, which will be shown on both channels.

Every match will also be screened live at three venues across London and Birmingham.

TOCA Social at The O2 and Westfield White City in London and The Bullring in Birmingham is hosting watch parties for fans hoping to catch all the action.

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Snake captured on passenger plane – as expert reveals how it got there

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Snake captured on passenger plane - as expert reveals how it got there

A flight in Australia was delayed for two hours after a stowaway snake was found in the plane’s cargo hold.

The reptile was found as passengers were boarding Virgin Australia Flight VA337 at Melbourne Airport bound for Brisbane.

Snake catcher Mark Pelley said he thought it could be venomous when he approached it in the darkened hold.

The snake in the cargo hold. Pic: Mark Pelley
Image:
The snake in the cargo hold. Pics: Mark Pelley

But it turned out to be a harmless 60cm green tree snake.

“It wasn’t until after I caught the snake that I realised that it wasn’t venomous. Until that point, it looked very dangerous to me,” Mr Pelley said.

He said when he entered the cargo hold, the snake was half hidden behind a panel and he feared it could flee deeper into the plane.

“I had one chance to grab it, and if it escaped past me it would have gone into the panels, and then that would have been extremely hard to catch,” he told Sky News.

“Snakes are very fast-moving, thin and agile,” he added.

Mark Pelley catching the snake. Pic: Mark Pelley

Mr Pelley said he told an aircraft engineer and airline staff they would have to evacuate the aircraft if the snake disappeared inside the plane.

“I said to them if I don’t get this in one shot, it’s going to sneak through the panels and you’re going to have to evacuate the plane because at that stage I did not know what kind of snake it was,” he explained in a separate interview.

“But thankfully, I got it on the first try and captured it,” he added. “If I didn’t get it that first time, the engineers and I would be pulling apart a [Boeing] 737 looking for a snake still right now.”

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For quarantine reasons the snake could not be returned to the wild. Pic: Mark Pelley

Mr Pelley said because the snake is native to the Brisbane region he suspects it came on board inside a passenger’s luggage and escaped.

“It’s actually very uncommon for snakes to be on the plane,” he told Sky News.

For quarantine reasons the snake cannot be returned to the wild.

The animal, a protected species, has been given to a Melbourne vet to find a home with a licensed snake keeper.

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