As the school summer holidays approach, new research from Park Christmas Savings shows families across the UK are bracing for six weeks of financial strain — with food costs, days out and childcare all piling pressure onto already-stretched household budgets.
With the school gates set to close for summer in the coming weeks, a major new survey of UK by Park Christmas Savings has laid bare the financial reality facing families this year.
The annual Junemas Park Christmas Savings Survey, which polled 3,000 of parents across the country, found that families are almost evenly split on whether they can afford to go away this summer at all, with many having already resorted to drastic measures — including 4 in 10 parents pulling children out of school in term time to go on holiday to keep costs down.
When asked directly whether they could afford a summer holiday this year, just 41% of parents said yes, with 42% saying they cannot afford a holiday, while a further 17% said they simply weren’t sure — meaning well over half of UK families are either ruling out a summer getaway altogether or facing real uncertainty over whether they can stretch to one.
The financial pressure is pushing some families to take matters into their own hands. The survey found that 39% of parents admit to having taken their children out of school during term time specifically to save money on a holiday — despite the well-publicised fines and penalties many councils now impose for unauthorised absence.
Asked which costs put the most pressure on their summer budget, parents named food costs as the single biggest strain, cited by 42% of respondents. Days out followed at 25%, with general holiday costs at 19%. Activities for children (12%) and childcare (2.4%) ranked lowest — suggesting that, for many families, simply feeding the household over six weeks of school closures is proving more costly than entertaining the kids.
It isn’t just about money, either. When parents were asked about their single biggest challenge during the summer holidays, 60% pointed to keeping children entertained — by far the most common answer. Balancing work and childcare came a distant second at 30%, while the cost of childcare (6%) and finding childcare in the first place (4%) were far less frequently cited.
Faced with these pressures, families are making active changes to manage their budgets. Three-quarters of parents (74%) say they are shopping more carefully, while 55% are cutting back on non-essentials altogether. Nearly half (47%) are leaning more heavily on discounts and offers, and one in five (20%) are actively following money-saving advice to get through the summer.
“These findings from our annual Junemas paint a really stark picture of what families are facing as the school holidays approach,” said Amy Peebles, in-house family budgeting expert at Park Christmas Savings. “It’s telling that food costs, not days out or even childcare, are the single biggest pressure point for parents right now. And the fact that two in five families have felt forced to take children out of school just to afford a getaway shows how squeezed household budgets really are.
She added: “The good news is that with some planning, families can take a lot of that pressure off without spending a fortune. A key focus of our Junemas campaign is to get a step ahead with your big family expenses and put aside a little regularly to spread costs and avoid debt.”
Top Tips for a Cheaper Summer
To help families navigate the financial pressures highlighted in the survey, Park’s family budgeting expert Amy Peebles has shared her top tips for cutting the cost of the summer holidays without cutting the fun:
Tap into council and library freebies: Many councils run free or discounted activity passes for school-age kids over the holidays — swimming, sports, arts and crafts — that a lot of parents don’t know exist. Pair this with a library summer reading challenge, which is completely free and often comes with stickers and prizes.
Picnic, don’t café: Swapping just one café stop a week for a packed picnic can save a family of four £20–£30 a trip. Pack snacks and a flask for days out too, as food and drink bought on-site at attractions is almost always inflated.
Batch-cook before the holidays hit: One big cooking session covering a week’s worth of lunches saves money and stops the Wednesday-afternoon takeaway temptation. Reduced-to-clear sections, often fullest in the early evening, are a great way to stock the freezer cheaply.
Set up a childcare swap: Organise a rota with a few local parents so everyone takes a turn covering the kids for a day. Each family ends up with several days of free childcare across the week, and the kids usually have more fun in a group anyway.
Start saving for Christmas now, not in November: It sounds counterintuitive, but putting aside a small amount each week over summer — even £5–£10 — means December doesn’t land as a second financial hit straight after the summer holidays.
Want to get a step ahead and avoid debt – check out more information here: https://www.getpark.co.uk/budgeting/
