Childcare places in the Cumberland council area were among the least accessible for families in England, new figures show.
Coram Family and Childcare charity said the UK childcare system is in "dire need" of reform, as too many disadvantaged children cannot access it.
Office for National Statistics figures show there were 16 childcare places accessible within the Cumberland council area for every 100 children under seven in the area, one of the lowest rates in the country.
Across England, there were an estimated 25 accessible childcare places for every 100 kids.
The figures refer to spatial accessibility, looking at the number of services people can reach near to where they live.
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The ONS analysis found a significant disparity in accessible childcare between the country's richest and poorest areas, as nine out of the top ten areas had an above-average gross disposable household income.
In the Cumberland council area, the average gross disposable household income was £18,600 based on the most recent data – lower than the national average of £22,200.
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