The school holidays can be hard for working parents, with full-time summer holiday clubs costing upwards of £1,000 per child. But with some extra planning and knowledge of the help that’s available you can reduce the financial burden of the time off from school.

How to budget for the school holidays

It’s understandable why parents worry about the financial cost of school holidays.  Nearly half of parents reported that the cost of summer childcare along with shopping list of things to buy before children go back to school will put them in financial difficulty.

While extra costs cannot always be avoided – you can plan ahead, so when the holidays roll around there is extra money to help give you some peace of mind. A popular method of saving is the ‘jam jar method’ where you divide your money into separate pots for different expenses. You can read more about it in MoneyHelper's guide Managing your money using savings pots.

Support for low income families during the school holidays

No matter how well you budget or plan, if you’re on a low income it can be a real struggle to balance your budget and meet all your expenses. But for families that are on certain means-tested benefits and claiming free school meals, there is extra school holiday help available.

If your child is eligible for free school meals, you can take part in the Holiday Activity and Food (HAF) programme. This is run by your local council and entitles your child to a meal and access to holiday activities. Access to HAF is not automatic, you must apply each holiday.

Check how you'll need to apply by contacting your local council. You can find the contact details for your council using the government's Find your council tool.

School meal holiday vouchers

If your child is eligible for free school meals during term time they are likely to qualify for extra help during the school holidays. How this works and what you get depends on where you live in the UK, but it can include free meals, free activities and even free cash to help with your childcare costs. There is a range of places you can get extra help – see MoneyHelper's blog that covers What to do if you can’t afford food.

Your council may also offer food vouchers to families during the school holidays, check what your council offers using the government's Find your council tool. 

Some food banks also run holiday clubs to help parents with food over the school holidays. Find a food bank near you at the Trussell Trust site.

Childcare grants in the holidays

If you're on Universal Credit and in work, you can get some of your childcare costs paid back  for children up to the age of 16. This is worth up to a maximum of £1,032 for one child and £1,769 for two or more children per month. You can claim just during school holidays, or throughout the year.

If you’re struggling and on a low income but not claiming Universal Credit, it is worth checking to see if you are eligible. Every year many people who could claim miss out because they don’t realise they are eligible. It is free to check and takes just 10 minutes. Check now to see if you could get Universal Credit.

Low cost holiday ideas

Going on holiday can seem like an impossible dream when you’re struggling to afford the basics, but there are some excellent deals and free activities that are well worth looking at MoneySavingExpert has a comprehensive guide filled with tips and tricks for having a magical day out that doesn’t cost the earth.