Utility Warehouse finds summer holidays cost UK parents an additional £100 a week

• Research has found that over the 6 week break, UK families are faced with finding an extra £600 to fund everything from day trips and holiday clubs to snacks and childcare

• The study of 1,000 parents of children aged 5-14 found that 88% of UK parents are looking for new ways to save money over the summer holidays

• 55% of parents surveyed admitted that they often aren’t able to afford the additional costs

• Utility Warehouse’s Cashback Card offers customers a simple way to ease the strain, helping families earn money back on everyday spending when it matters most

• Visit www.uw.co.uk to find out how to become a Utility Warehouse Customer

15th July 2025: With the school summer holidays around the corner, families across the UK are bracing for a sharp rise in household spending. New research from Utility Warehouse shows that parents will be facing a rise in outgoings of over £100 on average every week during the summer holidays to keep their kids fed and entertained. 

Over the 6-week period this equates to an extra £611. The concern over how they will cover these costs means that 88% of parents who were surveyed admit that they are looking for ways to help them save on spending this summer. The extra costs are spread across a variety of different necessities for the summer with mums and dads paying up to £85 for clubs and camps, up to £199 for day trips and astonishingly an extra £401 for food and snacks. 

Parents are already planning on ways they could claw back these additional outgoings. The most popular ways include taking packed lunches on days out (42%), buying snacks in bulk (38%), and over a third (35%) are actively utilising cashback or reward deals on what they spend. 

The research commissioned by Utility Warehouse also found 40% of those who don’t already use cashback schemes thought that it would be very useful to get cashback or rewards on shopping to help during the school holidays. Which is why UW is highlighting their unique Cashback Card, which pays out more than £1m pounds per month to Utility Warehouse customers*.

With the Utility Warehouse Cashback Card, customers can get up to 10% cashback at more than 55 major UK retailers and brands, including Sainsbury’s, Argos, B&Q and Alton Towers, and 1% on all other everyday spending**. Meaning those that use it to help pay for their families summer holidays could be benefiting from reducing their monthly utility bills off the back of that increased summer spending. 

Commenting on the research, Steve Long, Chief Cashback Officer at Utility Warehouse said, “The summer holidays can be costly, and while parents are focused on keeping their kids entertained, Utility Warehouse is helping them save money. It's that simple - every time our customers use their Cashback Card, whether it's at the supermarket for packed lunch supplies or on day trips out and about, we take money off their monthly utility bill."

The research also shows that for parents it's not just about the money, but the emotional pressure is just as difficult. Over half (58%) feel pressure to constantly spend money on their children and 55% admit they often can’t afford the extra spending. 

Over the course of the summer, parents estimate they’ll go on six day trips, with 38% also going on an international trip, and 60% a staycation. 

Steve Long, Chief Cashback Officer at Utility Warehouse, added, “It's no surprise that many families are looking to cashback to take the edge off summer spending. Our Cashback Card gives customers an easy way to supercharge their savings on spending they're already doing. With cashback coming directly off that month's utility bills, we're helping to ease the burden in real time at one of the most expensive times of the year.'

THE AVERAGE COST OF THE SUMMER HOLIDAYS IN THE UK:

• CHILDCARE: £472

• HOLIDAY CLUBS OR CAMPS: £385

• GROCERIES AND SNACKS: £401

• DAY TRIPS: £199

• UTILITY BILLS: £348

TOTAL: £1,805; £611 of which is EXTRA costs