Parents Feel Pressured to Spend During School Holidays So Children Don’t Miss Out

Parents across the UK are spending around £10.1bn a year on school holiday costs in a bid to keep children off screens.

* Parents estimate school holidays add £1,241 a year on average to family costs.
* One in five parents (20%) expected to dip into savings to cover the extra cost of the school holidays.
* More than half of parents (51%) say they overspend during the school holidays to stop children spending too much time on screens.
* 68% of parents say the summer holidays are their most expensive school break, significantly more than the Christmas holiday (17%).
* A mum of two from Norwich says the school holidays add about £400 to their monthly spending.

London, 23rd June: Parents across the UK are facing an estimated £10.1bn* annual “School Holiday Bill”, as new research reveals the extra costs families face when children are off school.

New research commissioned by subscription lender Creditspring found that parents estimate school holidays add £1,241 a year on average to family costs, as households pay for extra food, days out, activities, transport, childcare, entertainment and higher household bills.

The findings also suggest that the pressure to keep children entertained and away from screens is becoming a hidden driver of holiday spending. More than half (51%) of parents say they spend more than planned during the school holidays to ensure their children’s screentime is limited.

Although Christmas is often seen as the most expensive period of the year for families, the research suggests summer is the bigger financial squeeze for many parents. More than two thirds (68%) say the summer holidays are their most expensive school break, compared with just 17% who say Christmas.

Parents are stretching budgets to cover holiday costs

The findings reveal that many parents are having to make difficult choices just to keep up with the cost of school breaks.

One in five (20%) expect to dip into savings to cover the extra cost of the school holidays, while 17% say they will be forced to reduce spending elsewhere. A third (33%) expect to rely on credit, borrowing, delayed payments or support from friends and family to manage the additional costs.

School holidays are also affecting parents’ ability to work. More than half (56%) say they have sometimes had to reduce their hours, take unpaid leave or turn down work because of school holiday childcare.

Just over half of parents (54%) admit to considering taking their child out of school to go on holiday during term time, with many driven by the significant cost savings available outside peak school holiday periods.

Parents are spending more to keep children off screens

The research suggests that school holiday spending is not only driven by formal childcare costs, but by the everyday pressure to keep children busy, included and entertained.

Parents say days out and activities are the cost that increases most during school holidays (43%), followed by extra spending on food and snacks (25%). By contrast, just 5% of parents cited childcare or holiday clubs as areas where spending increases the most.

This suggests that for many families, the financial pressure is not simply the cost of childcare. It is the cumulative cost of keeping children occupied across several weeks - from activities and travel to food, treats and household bills.

The emotional toll of keeping children entertained

The financial pressure of school holidays is also creating an emotional strain for parents. For many families, the pressure starts well before the holidays begin with the average planning window among those who do plan for the break beginning six weeks before.

Yet, six in ten (61%) say school holidays feel like a financial shock even when they know they are coming, while 60% say they have to cut back elsewhere to afford them. The anxiety often begins before term has even ended, with 59% saying they worry about the cost of school holidays before they start.

More than seven in ten (71%) say they feel guilty when they cannot afford activities, trips or treats during school holidays, while two thirds (67%) say they feel pressure to spend money so their child does not miss out.

Erica Chaplin, 27, a hotel receptionist from Norwich, says the school holidays add around £400 a month to her family's costs.

"The school holidays are something I genuinely dread. We've only just come out of one of the hardest financial years we've ever had and things have only recently started to improve, but now the holidays are coming and all those extra costs start piling up again. The food bill is the biggest thing I notice straight away. During term time, my eldest has lunch at school, but in the holidays there are more meals, more snacks and more top-up trips to the shop. It feels like you're buying extra everything and the food shop can easily double.

"My partner lost his job last year, so the pressure to keep everything going financially is very much on me at the moment. I work night shifts and during the holidays I work five nights a week, which really limits the amount of sleep I get. Looking after the children during the day and trying to sleep in between takes a real toll mentally and physically.
"There's also a lot of guilt. You want to give your children the same experiences as other children, but sometimes you simply can't afford it. It makes you feel awful when they can't have a treat or a new toy as often as other kids. We're already struggling with day-to-day costs, so when the holidays come around it feels like another financial hurdle to overcome. It's constant stress."

When school holidays affects financial wellbeing

Tamsin Powell, Consumer Finance Expert at Creditspring, said: “School holidays should be something families look forward to, but for millions of parents they have become a predictable financial shock.

“The cost of school holidays is not one single expense. It is the extra food, the activities, the transport, the childcare gaps, the energy use and the pressure to keep children entertained. That all adds up quickly, especially during the summer when costs can continue for weeks.

“Christmas is widely recognised as expensive, so many families try to plan for it. The summer holidays can be harder to manage because the spending is more spread out and often feels unavoidable. Parents are not just paying for treats - they are trying to cover the everyday cost of having children at home for longer.

“With one in five parents expecting to dip into savings and a third relying on credit, borrowing, delayed payments or family support, it is clear that school holidays are becoming a serious household budgeting challenge.”

To help families budget, Tamsin shares her simple tips to help families manage school holiday costs:

1. Treat the holidays like a recurring bill

School holidays happen every year but the costs can feel like they creep up on you. Estimating your total spend in advance, on food, activities, travel and childcare, and breaking it into a weekly budget can make it feel easier to plan.

2. Plan the unavoidable costs first

Before booking days out or treats, work out the costs that cannot easily be avoided, such as extra meals, transport, childcare cover or higher household bills. That gives you a clearer view of what is genuinely left for optional spending.

3. Set a weekly activity budget

Summer costs can spiral because they arrive in small decisions every few days. Setting a weekly activity budget can make it easier to say yes to some things without feeling under pressure to say yes to everything.

4. Look for free and low-cost local options early

Free events, library activities, community groups, parks and council-run schemes can get booked up quickly. Looking early gives families more choice and reduces the pressure to rely on expensive last-minute plans.

5. Avoid using expensive credit to plug the gap

If the holidays are likely to stretch your budget, look at your options before the pressure peaks. Leaving it until costs have already built up can make families more vulnerable to expensive or unsuitable borrowing. Responsible credit options, such as Creditspring, can help people understand the cost of borrowing upfront and avoid interest charges or hidden fees when they need short-term support.

6. Review what worked after each holiday

A short review can make the next break easier. Look at what cost more than expected, what the children enjoyed most, and where you could plan differently next time. Also swap notes with friends and family too so you can share hints and tips.
For more advice on managing family finances and planning for child-related costs, visit HERE.