Summer holiday childcare costs in Great Britain have risen by 4% in the last year, with working parents now facing an average bill of £179 per child per week – £1,075 for the six-week break – according to Coram Family and Childcare’s 20th annual Holiday Childcare Survey, published today.
The report also reveals uncertainty and gaps in holiday childcare provision, with only 9% of councils in England reporting enough places for at least 75% of children with special educational needs and disabilities (SEND) in their area. This figure falls to 0% for three regions in England – the East Midlands, the East of England and Inner London.
Today’s report finds that a place at a holiday club costs over two-and-a-half times more than an after-school club during term-time (£179 per week compared to £66). The highest summer holiday childcare costs are found in Wales, which have risen by 6% since last year to £209.60 per week. Yorkshire and the Humber has seen the biggest annual price increase (13%) – more than triple the national average – with the average cost of a holiday club now at £194.41 per week.
For the first time, the Holiday Childcare Survey also sets out the cost of holiday childcare with childminders, finding that the average price of a childminder during the holidays is £234 per week in Great Britain – a total of over £1,400 for the six-week break.
Cost is not the only consideration for families this summer, with the survey also reporting on holiday childcare availability across the country*. In England, many councils do not have a clear picture of whether they have enough holiday childcare for the children in their area, with half or more responding ‘data not held or cannot tell’ for all availability questions. However, where this information is known, the lowest childcare sufficiency levels in England are seen for older children, parents working atypical hours and children with SEND, echoing trends from previous Holiday Childcare Surveys.
Lydia Hodges, Head of Coram Family and Childcare, said: “The need for childcare doesn’t finish at the end of term. Holiday childcare not only helps parents to work but gives children the chance to have fun, make friends and stay active during the school breaks. Yet all too often it is missing from childcare conversations.
“Whilst the increase in government-funded early education has reduced childcare costs for working parents of under-fives in England, prices for Holiday Childcare are going up for school-age children. This risks encouraging parents to work while their children are young, only to find it is not sustainable once their child starts school.
“Availability of holiday childcare is an ongoing issue and without a clear picture of how much holiday childcare there is in each area, we cannot be sure that children – particularly those with special educational needs and disabilities – are not missing out.
“We need a system that meets the needs of all children, with the ongoing security of free holiday childcare for disadvantaged families and timely help with bills for those who need it, so that no child misses out during school holidays.”
In today’s report, Coram Family and Childcare calls on the government to:
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Maintain the holiday activities and food (HAF) programme after March 2026 to ensure disadvantaged children have affordable, high-quality childcare during school holidays.
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Support local authorities to increase data collection on holiday childcare provision in order to plan sufficient, year-round childcare for all children.
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Expand the scope of the planned early years workforce strategy to include school-aged childcare.
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Allow upfront payments of the childcare element of Universal Credit during school holidays to alleviate the concentration of costs.
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Provide additional funding, training and support to holiday childcare providers to meet the needs of children with SEND.
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Encourage increased holiday childcare provision for older children and for parents who work atypical hours by supporting providers and local authorities with information on models of delivery and targeted funding.
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Take action to stem the decline of childminders and retain those currently in the sector, to ensure holiday childcare is available to fit a range of parental working patterns.