Revealed: the bumper profits taken by English private nursery chains

With more public money on its way, Joseph Rowntree Foundation calls for commitments on value for money and staff pay

Campaigners are calling for tougher regulation of the childcare market to safeguard taxpayers’ money, as new analysis shows more than £1 in every £5 spent at English nurseries backed by large investment companies ends up as profit.

Jeremy Hunt announced an extra £500m funding at last week’s budget, to help meet his promise of 30 hours a week of free childcare for the under-threes by September next year – which he hopes will bring 60,000 parents back to work.