Holiday Childcare Cost Planner
School holiday cover priced week by week against what you would earn working those weeks — the comparison that decides whether working the holidays is worth it.
Holiday cover for two children costs around £374 a week once extras and a sibling discount are counted, which is 72% of a £520 weekly take-home — so the decision usually turns on career continuity and pension rather than on the week itself breaking even.
Holiday Childcare Cost Planner
Frequently asked
Why is holiday childcare so expensive?
Because it is full-day rather than wraparound, it runs for a short season with the same fixed costs, and demand is concentrated. Per hour it is often cheaper than term-time care; per week it is far more.
What help exists?
It varies by country and changes often: holiday activity and food programmes for eligible families, tax-free childcare accounts, employer schemes and local authority provision are the common categories. Checking current local entitlements is worth more than any general figure.
Should I count my own leave as free?
Not really. Using annual leave for childcare has a real cost — it is the leave you then do not have — and families who count it as free tend to reach August with nothing left.
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