evidence: Childcare is the biggest monthly bill faced by 35% of families in Northern Ireland, costing more than mortgages or rent, according to a survey. The Employers For Childcare poll found the average cost of full-time childcare is £8,632 per year in Northern Ireland. [...] Parent Gemma Blake told BBC News NI that, at one point, her family was paying more than £1,000 in childcare bills each month.