Isabel and Matthew Keen have seen school fees, childcare charges and the cost of domestic services take an ever-increasing bite out of their income. So much so that Mrs Keen recently returned to work to boost the family’s bank balance.

The couple, from Lewes, Sussex, spend almost £80,000 a year on school fees for their four children, age between 6 and 11.

“We pay whopping school fees for all four children”, said Mrs Keen. “The fees have definitely jumped almost 10 per cent. But I suppose the schools are having to cope with the same rise in costs as the rest of us.”

Mrs Keen also points out that new government legislation on the charitable status of schools is added to price rises. “One school said fee-paying parents would have to pay an extra £1,500 to cover its obligation to take other parent’s children”.

Mr Keen works as a banker for Deutsche Bank, while Mrs Keen works as a consultant for the Motor Neurone Disease Association.

“My husband definitely says we need to start cutting back,” Mrs Keen added.

It is not just school fees that are hitting the Keens in the wallet. Their live-in nanny, who costs £400 a week, and their cleaner, at £12.50 an hour, are both also more expensive than they used to be.

They have also been hit by the cost of entertaining their children during the summer holidays, essential if Mrs Keen is going to work. It costs £400 a week to send their children to a morning holiday camp.

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