More than half of parents say they have reduced hours, taken unpaid leave or turned down work because of school holiday childcare pressures, while families face an estimated £10.1 billion annual cost burden, according to new research commissioned by Creditspring.
The findings suggest school holiday pressures may be contributing to a “working parent penalty”, with many families forced to balance earning an income against caring responsibilities during school breaks.
The research found that 56% of parents have at some point reduced their hours, taken unpaid leave or declined work opportunities because of school holiday childcare arrangements. More than half (54%) also admitted they had considered taking their children out of school during term time to access cheaper holiday prices outside peak periods.
Alongside the impact on work, parents reported significant financial pressures. School holidays add an average of £1,241 a year to family spending, with the additional costs across Great Britain estimated at £10.1 billion annually.
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.”
Financial strain extending beyond childcare
While childcare is often seen as the biggest challenge during school holidays, the research suggests families are also grappling with a range of additional costs.
Parents reported spending more on food, transport, entertainment and activities, as well as facing higher household bills while children are at home. More than half (51%) said they spend more than planned during school holidays to limit their children’s screen time.
Summer emerged as the most expensive school break, with more than two-thirds (68%) of parents saying it costs them more than any other holiday period. By comparison, just 17% identified Christmas as their most expensive time of year.
One in five parents (20%) said they expect to dip into savings to cover school holiday costs, while 17% plan to reduce spending elsewhere. A third (33%) anticipate relying on borrowing, credit, delayed payments or support from friends and family.
For Norwich-based parent Erica Chaplin, the school holidays add around £400 a month to family spending.
“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. 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.”
Pressure to keep children entertained
The findings indicate that much of the additional spending is driven by efforts to keep children occupied during the holidays.
More than four in ten parents (43%) said activities and days out are the area where their spending increases most, while 25% pointed to food and snacks. Just 5% identified childcare or holiday clubs as the biggest source of additional expenditure.
The research suggests that for many families, the challenge is not a single large expense but the cumulative cost of keeping children entertained and engaged over several weeks.
Emotional impact on parents
The financial burden of school holidays is also taking a toll on parents’ wellbeing.
Six in ten (61%) said school holidays feel like a financial shock despite knowing they are coming, while 60% said they have to cut back elsewhere to afford them. Nearly six in ten (59%) worry about the cost before the holidays even begin.
More than seven in ten parents (71%) said they feel guilty when they cannot afford activities, trips or treats for their children, while 67% feel pressure to spend money so their child does not miss out.
The findings highlight how school holiday pressures are affecting not only household finances, but also parents’ ability to work, their wellbeing and their confidence in balancing family responsibilities with employment. As organisations continue to focus on employee wellbeing and family-friendly workplaces, the research is likely to fuel further discussion about how employers can better support working parents during school holiday periods through measures such as flexible working and other practical forms of support.
Research was commissioned by Creditspring and conducted by Censuswide among 1,000 UK parents of school-age children between 26 and 29 May 2026.
