Even if parents do fulfil the criteria for eligibility, there’s still a risk that a funded nursery place simply won’t be accessible to them, as nurseries say they’re being forced to cap the number of allocated places in an attempt to cover their overheads. With an increase in national insurance set to come into effect in April, staffing costs are rising – a cost that is passed on to parents via ‘chargeable extras’ such as snacks and meals, meaning even funded places aren’t entirely free.

Despite these drawbacks, this is (largely) a step in the right direction, and while more change is needed, it’s clear that the cost of childcare in the UK is coming to the forefront of the government’s attention, and that can only be a good thing.

“As part of this year’s survey, for the first time we spoke to parents on their views and experiences of childcare, and many highlighted the positive impact that it has had on their child’s independence, development and happiness,” Hodges says in a statement. “These are things we want for all children, and we call on the government to commit to immediate and longer-term actions so that no child misses out on this vital boost to their outcomes.”

Annual nursery costs for a child under 2 in England have fallen for the first time in 15 years