Childcare costs left me £30k in debt — and I’m not alone
A single mother had to take out loans to carry on working. Now she can’t get a mortgage. Rachel Mortimer hears how her bills came back to haunt her
The musician Eleanor Turner is part of a growing group who are forced to rely on loans, credit cards and family handouts to pay for basic childcare
The Sunday Times
When Eleanor Turner had her first child 20 years ago she never imagined that the cost of a family and a career would leave her £30,000 in debt.
Not only did the freelance musician have to rely on loans and overdrafts to pay for spiralling childcare costs, it has also affected her credit score and so her ability to borrow.
Turner, who is a single parent, is now trying to remortgage, but her adverse credit history means that the bank will only agree additional lending if her adult son is named as a joint borrower.
Turner, 40, belongs to a growing group of parents who need to rely on loans, credit cards and family handouts to afford basic childcare.
A quarter of parents using childcare
