(LONDON, UK) – The cost of holiday childcare for school age children in Britain has risen to an average of £1,145 per child for the six week summer break, according to new data. This marks a 5 percent increase over the past year alone and means the financial burden on working families has more than doubled since 2005.
The figures come from children’s charity Coram, which published its 21st annual Holiday Childcare Survey. The report places the average weekly cost of holiday childcare at £191. When the survey first launched two decades ago, the average weekly cost was £76, giving a total of £456 per child for the full summer holidays. At current exchange rates, the 2025 summer cost of £1,145 equates to approximately $1,445 or €1,340 per child.
Wales recorded the steepest annual rise, with summer holiday childcare costs climbing 10 percent over the past year. Regional differences are also stark. Costs rose 16 percent in London and 12 percent in the North East of England.
For households with disabled children, the financial picture is sharper still. One parent of twin boys told the survey that holiday childcare for her son Otis cost £50 a day. For her son Frankie, who has cerebral palsy and uses a wheelchair full time, the daily cost was £178. This is equivalent to roughly $225 or €209 per day.
The pressure on family budgets is set against a backdrop where school children in the UK have around 65 working days of holiday each year. Most full time workers receive about 28 days of annual leave. Where parents cannot call on grandparents or other family members for help, they must turn to paid childcare during school breaks.
Some working families may qualify for Tax Free Childcare, a government scheme that adds £2 for every £8 paid into a childcare account. The maximum support is £2,000 per child per year, or £4,000 for a disabled child. Equivalent amounts in US dollars are approximately $2,520 and $5,040 respectively.
Every local authority in England also delivers the Holiday Activities and Food Programme, which provides free holiday club places, meals and activities to children from low income households. However, the Coram survey found that provision varies considerably from area to area. Official guidance says councils should aim to offer eligible children at least four hours a day, four days a week of free holiday childcare. The survey found most councils do not know whether they have enough holiday childcare available.
The lowest level of sufficiency in England is for children with special educational needs and disabilities. Only 9 percent of councils in England said they have enough holiday childcare for at least three quarters of young people with SEND in their area. In Wales, just 5 percent of local authorities reported sufficient holiday childcare for children with additional learning needs.
Separate research from national disability charity Sense found that more than 60,000 disabled children live in areas of England with no summer holiday club options available to them. Freedom of Information requests submitted to every local authority in England found that, among the 114 local authorities that responded, only 6 percent of disabled children across the country can access holiday clubs.
Coram is calling for the statutory duty to secure sufficient holiday childcare across Britain to be reinforced. The charity also wants improved access for children with SEND.
The survey found that childminders offer parents the best chance of securing a full day of childcare during the holidays. Some 79 percent of childminders are open from 8am until 6pm, compared with only 57 percent of holiday clubs. Yet holiday clubs remain cheaper, at £191 per week, against an average of £251 per week for a childminder. That childminder figure is equivalent to about $317 or €294 per week.
Lydia Hodges, Head of Coram Family and Childcare, said holiday childcare is essential for parents to take and stay in work. She noted that for too many families the six week break brings a sharp increase in childcare costs. She added that if society wants children away from social media and off their phones, they need something positive to do. The problem is not going away, she said, because most parents need to work during the school holidays at some point and not all will have support from other family members. She argued there must be an acknowledgement that childcare is a year round requirement.
A Department for Education spokesperson said the school holidays can be a tricky time for many parents, describing a balancing act between work, family life and finding childcare that is affordable and accessible. The spokesperson said the government is investing over £600 million in the Holiday Activities and Food programme so children from disadvantaged backgrounds can enjoy healthy meals and take part in activities including archery, coding, sports and creative arts.
This sum is roughly $756 million or €702 million. The spokesperson also pointed to discounted attractions and meals out, plus almost £13 million this year to help local councils offer more childcare places, including during the holidays. The forthcoming Childcare Review, the spokesperson added, would go even further to create a system that is easier and fairer for every family, all year round.