The cost of a typical full-time nursery place in England has increased by 27% in five years, according to a survey published today.

The national childcare charity Daycare Trust said the rise outstrips inflation by nearly 20%.

A typical full-time nursery place for a child under two in Great Britain now costs £142 a week, over £7,300 a year. This compares with average earnings of £431 a week last year. The typical cost of a full-time place with a childminder for a child under two in England is £127 a week, over £6,600 a year. Typical cost in Scotland is £126 and £120 in Wales

Parents paying the highest costs revealed in the survey could be paying almost £21,000 a year for a full-time nursery place.

The highest childcare costs in the survey were found in London and South-East, with a nursery place for a child under two typically costing £197 a week in inner London. This is the only region of the country where there has been no increase in childcare costs in the last 12 months.

The lowest nursery costs were in the Midlands and the North-East.

Daycare Trust’s fifth annual survey shows that over recent years the costs of childcare have soared above inflation across the country. The largest increases this year were in Wales with a 7% rise and Scotland with an 8% rise, compared to 2% in England.

The typical cost for an after school club is £45 for 15 hours a week.

Nannies cost anything from £150 to £400 a week, depending on whether they live in or out. Families are also responsible for paying their tax and national insurance.

The typical weekly cost of a place for a child in a summer play scheme, according to Daycare Trust's 2005 holiday costs survey is £75.84 a week.

The highest costs of a summer play scheme identified in the Daycare Trust’s 2005 survey is £270 a week, over £1600 for the six-week summer holiday period. Some parents pay additional costs for trips out and visits.