Working mothers only break even on childcare costs after four months This means that the number of weeks they need to work a year to break even is around average, at just under 17. Mums living in the North tend to need to work for a week less a year than those living in the South of England to break even on their childcare costs, researchers said. However, Yorkshire and Humberside was a notable exception, with mothers needing to work an above-national average 17.7 weeks a year. Kate Moore, head of savings and investments at Family Investments, said: "These figures highlight the very significant costs mums face if they choose to return to work after maternity leave and the fact that they will spend up to four months of the year simply working towards these costs." She added: "What really jumps out from these figures is both the scale of the costs involved and the disparities in local affordability." Parents are entitled to increased levels of help with childcare costs after their child's third birthday, with 15 hours a week of free early education. They can also make their money go further by taking part in a government voucher scheme which allows mothers and fathers to pay for childcare costs out of their pre-tax wages. Basic rate tax payers can pay for up to £243 of childcare a month with the vouchers. The study assumed that parents were not taking part in the voucher scheme. Here are the typical annual childcare costs followed by average female hourly earnings and the number of weeks work needed a year to meet childcare costs by region: :: West Midlands, £6,086, £10.97, 15.2 :: North West, £6,232, £11.02, 15.6 :: North East, £6,524, £10.78, 16.6 :: Scotland, £7,082, £11.59, 16.8 :: London, £9,283, £15.07, 16.9 :: East Midlands, £6,645, £10.57, 17.3 :: East of England, £7,397, £11.72, 17.4 :: Wales, £7,001, £10.95, 17.6 :: Yorkshire and Humberside, £6,853, £10.67, 17.7 :: South East, £8,067, £12.44, 17.9 :: South West, £7,228, £10.72, 18.6