Deprived areas worst hit by 50 per cent rise in nursery closures, research finds

Nursery closure rates have increased by 50 per cent since last year with deprived areas being worst hit, new research from the National Day Nurseries Association (NDNA) has found. There were 50 per cent more setting closures in 2023/23 compared with the year before, with 37 per cent of the closures taking place in the 30 per cent most deprived areas of England – compared with 34 per cent in 2021/22. The data, gathered through NDNA’s consultations with members and media monitoring, found that 186 nurseries closed in England in 2022/23, compared with 124 in the previous year. Over the last two financial years, the highest number of closures took place in areas with large cities with high populations, with south and east Manchester, Leeds, the North East, and Bristol areas experiencing the highest volumes of closures. Read more.