For parents, summer is expensive.
>> You've got to plan the days, be able to
afford the days out. You've you've got
to make sure you've got enough food in.
>> The reason it gets worse is because one,
they don't have preschool meals. Two,
the children are are um are at home, so
therefore they're snacking.
>> Food, activities, and child care push
budgets to the brink.
>> Those clients who work um suddenly need
more child care. New research shows the
struggles of summer. And what this
research pinpoints is a cost of summer
crisis.
>> For kids, summer is often the best time,
>> but for parents budgets, it can often be
the worst. For this mom in Bolton, the
six week holiday stretches out, but
money doesn't stretch nearly so far.
You've got things planned, but it it
isn't really all roses like that, is it?
It because you've got to plan the days,
be able to afford the days out. You've
you've got to make sure you've got
enough food in.
>> More than one in 10 parents struggling
with debt of skip meals so children can
eat with more than half borrowing just
to buy basic shopping. More than a third
of parents can't afford summer child
care. Yet the same proportion can't
afford to take time off work either in
the school holidays. At this time of
year, children get a lot more spare
time. If only their parents had just a
bit more spare cash. Food bills in
particular rise when schools are closed.
And what this research pinpoints is a
cost of summer crisis.
There are free activities like this, but
higher demand in summer often pushes
prices up for transport, holidays, and
entertainment. Lowcost summer activities
and meals are being organized by the
Salvation Army, but parents can still
face agonizing financial choices.
>> The pressure that parents are under,
yes, gets worse in school holidays
because the children are at home. And
the reason it gets worse is because one,
they don't have preschool meals. to the
children are are um are at home so
>> Summer child care can cost over a
thousand pounds and debt advisers are
seeing the impact.
more child care and even if it's
grandparents or a friend they end up
paying the friend a tener here and
there. School holiday memories can last
a lifetime, which only adds to the
pressure on parents. Childhood is short,
so is summer, and money doesn't last
long either at this time of year. Chris
Choy, ITV News.