How much does it cost to raise a child in the UK?

Where the figure comes from

CPAG's Cost of a Child report, produced each year with Loughborough University's Centre for Research in Social Policy, is built on the Minimum Income Standard: what members of the public agree a family needs for a minimum acceptable standard of living. The 2025 report's full cost over 18 years is £251,018 for a couple and £287,219 for a lone parent, rounded in its headlines to £250,000 and £290,000.

The full cost includes rent, childcare and council tax as well as the basics such as food, clothing and energy. CPAG models a family renting social housing in the East Midlands, with formal wrap-around childcare when parents work full time, so it's a minimum, not a typical spend. It's higher for a lone parent because fewer costs are shared.

The biggest part comes early

Childcare is the largest and most front-loaded part of the cost, which is why it matters so much to get the free hours and the right help. The childcare calculator works out that part for your own family, region and hours.