MORE than four in 10 parents of under-fives in England have got into debt or withdrawn savings to pay for childcare, according to a survey.

Campaign group Pregnant Then Screwed said that some 46 per cent of parents had reported that they rely on borrowing or their savings to cover childcare costs, up from about 35 per cent of parents in last year’s survey by the organisation.

For single parents, the proportion getting into debt or drawing on their savings is almost two-thirds.