Cuts in nursery funding ‘have hit poor areas hardest’

As childcare providers see their income fall, many will be forced to close without a cash boost in the budgetParents have been warned they face rising childcare costs as new research reveals that nearly half of all nurseries, pre-schools and childminders in England are receiving less government funding than five years ago.Department for Education figures, analysed by independent research firm Ceeda and seen exclusively by the Observer, show 60 local councils in England paid childcare providers u