Colletta Smith
Cost of living correspondent
Chiara Del Vescovo
Chiara Del Vescovo with her daughter
Summer holiday clubs to cover Britain’s six-week school break now cost parents an average of £1,076 per child, new figures suggest.
The price varies by region with some areas seeing hikes of up to 13% on last year, according to research by children’s charity Coram.
High demand and a lack of cheaper council-run activities are driving up prices, it found.
“It’s the amount you’d spend going on holiday, but you’re working and you don’t get to see your child,” says mother Chiara Del Vescovo.
Most families depend on some form of childcare for part of the school holidays as an increasing number of households have two parents in full-time work and it is less common to live close to relatives.
That’s true for Manchester mum Chiara as she and her partner try to juggle work alongside looking after their seven-year-old daughter.
“We are trying to co-ordinate with her friends so they can spend a few days in a holiday club together, but it’s difficult and expensive, especially if you go for the full day,” she says.
Last year, the average cost for a child in full-time holiday clubs for six weeks was £1,045, Coram found.
This year, Wales has seen a 6% increase and has the most expensive holiday clubs at £209.60 per week.
Yorkshire and the Humber recorded the biggest jump in price, up 13% this year to £194.41 per week.
Elaine Doran/BBC
Gilly Balfour says the price of art materials and food have gone up as well as wages
Gilly Balfour is in charge of free holiday activities at Z-arts Children’s Centre, in Manchester and says she understands why costs have had to increase for many providers.
“Art materials have gone up, food for lunches is up, we want to make sure that we’re paying people well and have to get the correct ratios in terms of adults to children,” she says “so you’ve got to factor in the whole cost.”
In every area, childminders play a crucial role in plugging gaps in care, especially outside of normal school hours, but this data shows that they are, on average, £55 a week more than holiday clubs.
Stretch to pay upfront
For parents on Universal Credit, help is available through the childcare element of the benefit – but not in time to pay for clubs upfront.
The benefit is paid in arrears, so many families find it a stretch to pay for holiday clubs in advance before their childcare payment arrives four weeks later.
Rasheeda Anwar works part-time as a nurse in Reading and says paying for summer childcare for her two children simply isn’t an option.
She is taking annual leave to cover as much as she can, and feels fortunate to have got her 14-year-old daughter into a free camp run by the organisation Sport in Mind.
“They’re getting out in the fresh air. It’s good for them so they’re not glued to their phones. That’s always my worry. I want her to experience different things, and they provide fruit and a healthy lunch,” she says.
Rashida Anwar
Rashida Anwar is taking unpaid leave to look after her two children
Lack of places
In England, that free care is paid for by the Holiday Activities and Food programme. It funds local authorities to provide holiday clubs for children on free school meals.
However, places on council-run schemes are often oversubscribed, and these figures suggest that on average private holiday clubs cost 21% more than those run by councils.
There are fewer holiday club places for children over seven, and availability drops significantly for children over 11.
Those with Special Educational Needs and Disabilities (SEND) of any age have even fewer options available. Just 9% of local authorities in England said they had enough provision for 75% of children with SEND in their area.
‘Year-round reality’
The Local Government Association says: “While councils recognise the importance of ensuring there is sufficient provision available for children with SEND, it can be difficult to ensure the right provision is available, particularly given the challenging situation that many providers face at the moment.”
Lydia Hodges is head of Coram Family and Childcare, and says that for many families, there are no other options.
“It’s absolutely vital for parents to take work, to stay in work, and for children to be engaged in something positive during the school holidays,” she says.
“So we think it’s vital that we address the true reality of the situation of working childcare and that reality is a year-round one.”
Ways to save money on childcare
- Flexible working All employees have a right to ask for it and if granted changing your hours could save you money on childcare
- Unpaid leave It’s not ideal to lose pay but many of us would pay more in childcare through the holidays than we would earn at work
- Pooling childcare Agreeing a rota with other parents might be a handful but could save you all money and be fun for the children.
- Universal credit childcare funding Working families with this benefit can claim up to £1,031.88 a month for one child or £1,768.94 for two or more
- Holiday activities and food programme Local authorities offer free summer clubs for children in England who receive benefits-related free school meals
- Tax-free childcare accounts These can be used to pay for many registered Ofsted holiday clubs, and the government adds £2 for every £8 you put in.
- Read more: What childcare help is available?