Is It Worth Going Back to Work After Nursery Costs? The Real Maths

By Clear Nursery Fees Team · 3 April 2026

Returning to work almost always produces a net financial gain, even after nursery costs. The exact amount depends on your salary, your area and which support you claim. This post models four salary bands using 2026 figures to show you the real numbers.

This post runs the maths for four salary bands using 2026 figures for tax, National Insurance, funded hours, Tax-Free Childcare and a typical full-time nursery place. The aim is to give you a starting point, not a precise personal forecast. Use the calculator at the end to model your specific situation.

The assumptions

Once a child turns 9 months and meets eligibility, the 15 funded hours kick in, which changes the maths significantly. This comparison shows the hardest-case scenario: under-1s with no funded hours.

The four salary scenarios

£28,000 gross salary (North West)

At £28k in the North West with UC childcare support, returning to work produces a meaningful net gain. The UC childcare element covers most of the nursery bill.

£35,000 gross salary (North West)

At £35k you are likely above UC eligibility, so TFC is your main support. The net gain is still substantial but the nursery bill takes a bigger bite than at £28k with UC.

£50,000 gross salary (Inner London)

At £50k in London, almost two-thirds of net take-home goes to nursery. You are financially ahead, but the margin is thin. This is the salary band where the question "is it worth it?" feels most acute.

£80,000 gross salary (Inner London)

At £80k, the nursery bill is painful in absolute terms but represents a smaller share of take-home. The argument for returning is financially clear.

The funded hours turning point

The calculations above are for under-1s with no funded hours. Once your child reaches 9 months and you both meet the working income threshold, you gain 15 funded hours per week (approximately £450-£600/month of value depending on your LA rate). At age 3, eligible families get 30 funded hours.

At the 30-hour stage, the North West £35k scenario net gain rises from £1,147 to approximately £1,600. The London £50k scenario rises from £984 to approximately £1,400.

What this doesn't include

These figures exclude:

The financial maths almost always points toward returning to work producing a net gain, even in the hardest cases. The question for many parents is whether the margin justifies the logistics.

Your actual number

Every family's figure is different. The salary bands above use average costs and typical tax positions. Your nursery's rate, your LA's EYNFF rate, your partner's income and which support you are eligible for all shift the outcome.

The Clear Nursery Fees calculator models all of these variables together and produces your specific monthly net cost, so you can run your own break-even calculation.

Calculate your break-even point