Education secretary to order review of hidden childcare costs

UK Education Secretary Bridget Phillipson has asked the Competition and Markets Authority to investigate hidden childcare charges (non‑refundable deposits and extra fees for meals, nappies, suncream) that may undermine the government’s free‑childcare offer. The move is part of broader cost‑of‑living measures (VAT cuts for family attractions, free summer bus travel for under‑16s, import tax cuts on some foods) intended to support household spending. The probe and supporting measures could affect childcare providers’ revenues and consumer services demand, with implications for UK economic activity and companies in consumer/leisure sectors—factors likely to feed into the performance of the UK 100 index. Data cited: more than 1.7m parents use funded hours; average full‑time nursery cost for under‑2s is about £149/week in 2026, reportedly a 39% fall year‑on‑year.