A young mother from Scotland has warned that a "glaring gap" remains in childcare support, despite new measures announced in the recent Scottish Budget. Millie Holroyd, a 27-year-old NHS nurse from Stirling, faces a monthly bill of around £900 for childcare later this year and says the current system penalises working parents.
Budget Measures Welcome, But Help Delayed
Speaking to the Press Association ahead of the Budget on Tuesday 13 January 2026, Mrs Holroyd expressed mixed feelings about the announcements. She welcomed the expansion of breakfast clubs in all primary schools by August 2027 and increased wraparound after-school care.
She also praised the inclusion of a universal learn-to-swim programme for children during summer holidays, calling it a vital life skill. "But, ultimately, I feel this Budget will benefit my family in a few years – not any sooner," she stated bluntly.
The Costly Childcare Gap for Working Families
The core of her criticism focuses on the period between the end of parental leave, when a child is around one year old, and the start of funded nursery hours, which begins at age three (or the term after a child's third birthday in some council areas).
"I am disappointed in the lack of any expansion to this provision of childcare hours to make returning to work more affordable and accessible for working families like my own," she explained.
Mrs Holroyd, who is on maternity leave, and her husband, a transport company team manager, have a combined pre-tax income of about £90,000. They have a five-month-old son, Thomas, and a two-year-old son, Marcus.
She argues that parents are effectively penalised for returning to work, noting that while those on Universal Credit receive support, middle-income families often only qualify for the UK-wide 20% tax-free childcare scheme.
Financial Squeeze Forces Return-to-Work Dilemma
The family's situation highlights a stark postcode disparity. "Down south, my children would be entitled to childcare hours by the time that I’m due to go back to work," Mrs Holroyd said, referring to earlier eligibility in England.
She added: "I just think, in Scotland, we’ve been left with this kind of gap where you go back to work. You’re expected to go back to work by the time they’re one, but you’re not getting any real help with doing that until they’re three-and-a-bit."
To manage the soaring cost of living, she is constantly hunting for the best deals on household bills. When she returns to her nursing role, she will have to cut back her hours due to the crippling childcare costs, which will hit approximately £900 a month because her eldest son is not yet old enough for funded hours.
Her testimony underscores the ongoing financial pressures facing even dual-income households and calls into question the adequacy of current family support policies in Scotland.
