You are here: News Holiday childcare prices jump by 5%, amid cost of living crisis, as parents working full time struggle to find the childcare they need

19th July 2022
By Hannah May Parlett

Families across Britain are bracing themselves for a difficult summer as a sharp rise in holiday childcare prices and patchy availability of places hits working parents, Coram Family and Childcare’s 17th annual Holiday Childcare Survey reveals today.

Today’s report finds that, amid the soaring costs of living, holiday childcare costs have jumped by 5% since 2021. The average place at a holiday club now costs £148 a week - more than double what parents pay for an after-school club during term time. Families will now find themselves almost £900 out of pocket for six weeks of holiday childcare for each school age child, nearly £500 more than they would pay for six weeks of term time childcare before and after school. Some 42% of local authorities across Britain have reported that the pandemic had caused an increase in prices.

The survey also found considerable regional variation in prices across Britain, with parents in inner London paying an average of £161 per week compared to £135 in the West Midlands, an 18% price difference. There are also huge price differences within the same area, with some holiday childcare places in inner London costing 92% more than the average, while others cost 44% less.

Alongside the financial strain, parents are struggling to find the childcare they need, with only 27% of English local authorities having enough holiday childcare available for parents in their area who work full time, down 6% on last year. Parents of disabled children face the most acute challenge with only 7% of local authorities having enough holiday childcare for these families, plunging from 16% in 2021. Other notable gaps in England include holiday childcare for children whose parents work atypical hours and children living in rural areas, with only 10% and 15% of local authorities respectively reporting they have enough childcare availability for these groups.

Ellen Broomé, managing director of Coram Family and Childcare, said:

“Families across Britain are reeling from record inflation and this steep rise in holiday childcare will push many further into financial distress. Many parents, particularly mothers, will have no choice but be locked out of work altogether or struggle to pay for basic necessities such as food or rent.

“Holiday childcare is key economic infrastructure. The lack of childcare places for working parents is a serious problem – not just for families but for the country’s economic output. Children have experienced such disruption throughout the pandemic, and holiday childcare offers them a safe and fun space to stay active and connect with their friends while also helping to tackle the summer learning loss.”

Coram Family and Childcare is calling on the UK, Scottish and Welsh Governments to:

  • Reform Universal Credit so it does not lock parents out of work – by increasing the maximum amount of childcare costs paid under Universal Credit and guaranteeing support for upfront childcare costs.
  • Increase support for Family Information Services to provide good quality holiday childcare information and broker access to local provision that meets families’ needs.
  • Expand provision of the Holiday Activities and Food programme to improve access to affordable, high quality childcare for all children who need it.
  • Support local authorities to ensure they have a comprehensive overview of the cost and availability of holiday childcare in their area to identify and plug gaps in provision.

-ENDS-

Full report

Notes to Editors 

  • For a copy of the full report, comment and case studies, please contact Emma Lamberton, Senior Communications Manager, Coram: emma.lamberton@coram.org.uk / 07908 827908. 
  • The Holiday Childcare Survey 2022 is based on surveys from local authorities in England, Scotland and Wales, which were returned to Coram Family and Childcare between April and June 2022. The report provides detail on the cost and availability of childcare for children aged 4-14 years during the 13 weeks of school holiday per year. The provision of childcare covered in the report includes Ofsted-registered holiday clubs managed by the private, voluntary and independent sectors and those run by local authorities. The use of childminders, informal childcare (such as that provided by other parents or grandparents), or holiday camps (such as for football or drama) are excluded from the report. 
  • The average weekly price of holiday childcare, by nation and region, weighted, is included below.

 

About Coram Family and Childcare

Coram Family and Childcare works to make the UK a better place for families by bringing together what we learn from our on the ground parent-led programmes and our research to campaign for solutions that parents want and need. We focus on childcare and early years to make a difference to families’ lives now and in the long term. Before August 2018, we were known as the Family and Childcare Trust. For more information, please visit:

Website: coramfamilyandchildcare.org

Twitter: @CoramFamChild

Facebook: @famchildtrust

 

About Coram

Coram is the UK’s oldest children’s charity, supporting children to have the best possible chance in life since 1739. We work as a group of specialist organisations helping more than a million children, young people, families and professionals every year.

We support children and young people from their earliest days to independence, creating a change that lasts a lifetime. We help build their confidence; we help them to develop skills; we uphold their rights, we support practitioners in the areas of fostering and adoption and we find loving adoptive families for the most vulnerable children.

We work in over 2,000 schools supporting nearly half a million children, run London’s largest Regional Adoption Agency and provide free legal advice for thousands of children and families who need it every year.

For more information, please visit:

Website: www.coram.org.uk

Twitter: @Coram

Facebook: Coramsince1739

Instagram: coram.uk

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