More than one in eight nurseries and other early years childcare providers in Sutton have closed since 2015, according to data published by Ofsted.

Any provider who cares for early years children - from birth up until the August following their fifth birthday - must be registered with Ofsted.

In Sutton, there were 325 such providers on the register at the end of March 2018, 49 fewer than in March 2015.

All three and four-year-olds in England are entitled to 15 hours of free childcare per week during term time.

But since September 2017, parents can claim an additional 15 hours if both they and their partner earn less than £100,000 a year but more than the equivalent of 16 hours at the minimum wage.

Almost three quarters of local authorities in England lost early years providers in the first seven months after the 30 hours scheme was introduced, while 98 percent have seen a drop since 2015.

In Sutton, there were six fewer providers at the end of March 2018 than there were before the policy changed in September.

The Pre-school Learning Alliance has called for "urgent action" to address a funding crisis it says has left more than 40 percent of providers in England contemplating closure next year.

The organisation argues that the funding the Government provides for the scheme is not enough to cover the costs incurred by providers.

Neil Leitch, chief executive of the Pre-School Learning Alliance, said the new scheme had "further exasperated" funding problems already experienced by providers under the 15 hours scheme.

He added: "There has never been any such thing as free childcare. It’s subsidised childcare.

"Early Years funding is frozen until 2020, and while our costs go up, we’re just told to make it work."

Sutton Council has been contacted for further comment.

Children and families minister Nadhim Zahawi said it was “normal in a private market” for providers to join and leave the Ofsted register.

He continued: “We want every child to have the best start in life, and it is great that more than 340,000 children have benefited from a 30 hours place in its first year."

The Government is also supporting new childcare providers by providing grants to reimburse them for some of the costs of setting up their businesses, he added.

You can see the published data here.