MORE than half of mothers with children aged 11 or younger have had to cut their working hours due to the expense of childcare, a charity survey has suggested.

An online poll by Save the Children found that 54 per cent of mothers were in this position, with 40 per cent saying they or their partner would work more if childcare was made more affordable.

The cost of childcare affected 56 per cent of the over 2,000 parents who responded, with almost half saying they had turned down work because of childcare responsibilities.