Parents or carers in full-time work claimed to be ‘dreading’ the expense, and the sum may be considerably higher in Wales and southeast England.
According to studies, parents should budget over £1,000 per child for care over the summer holidays.
In a survey conducted by the children’s charity Coram, British families would spend an average of £1,049 on summer childcare for children aged four to 14, which is £635 more than they would have paid for six weeks of after-school childcare during the school year.
According to Coram’s poll, the figures are based on six weeks of holiday childcare of £175 per week, which is the national average. Parents in southeast England outside London pay £216 per week, while those in Wales pay £209 per week, with childcare expenses rising by 15% in a year. For parents in inner London, the weekly average is just under £153.
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Ellen Broomé, managing director of Coram, stated, “Too many families dread the onset of the summer holidays. Rather than a time for families to rest, play and have fun together, many parents worry about how to pay for holiday childcare during the long summer break.”
“And with ever-growing shortages of available childcare, finding a place will be a challenge this summer, particularly for children with special educational needs and disabilities [Send].”
Coram’s report urges the government to extend the Holiday Activities and Food initiatives in England beyond their planned end date of March next year to enhance access to “affordable, high-quality childcare” for those in need. It also wants extra holiday time for older children, those living in rural areas, and those whose parents work irregular hours.
Broomé stated that ” the new government has a real opportunity to change the experience of school-aged children and families during school breaks.”
The survey also revealed that local authorities are struggling to provide places. Only a few councils in England reported having enough holiday childcare for disabled children or children whose parents worked full-time. While 25% of councils stated that they had enough places for four-to-seven-year-olds, the proportion dropped to only 7% for children aged 12 to 14.
According to a spokesperson for the Local Government Association, “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.”
“Councils work closely with providers to improve access to holiday childcare provision for children with Send but without concerted investment and recruitment of quality staff this will be difficult to deliver.”
From September 2025, eligible parents or caregivers of children as young as nine in England can claim 30 hours of paid childcare a week during school term. However, Coram stated that this still leaves a large gap for families to bridge during holidays and that early education rights should be increased to 48 weeks per year.
A recent Nuffield Foundation analysis advocated an overhaul of the school calendar in England, with six holiday weeks to four, potentially balancing childcare costs for parents.
