The real cost of half term for UK parents

As every penny counts whilst the credit crunch bites, research unveiled by Premier Inn today shows that keeping kids busy during this half-term is going to cost UK families an extra £374.39 .

This is on top of normal living costs like mortgage/ rent, food and clothing for their brood; so parents nationwide will need to tighten their belts to shoulder the load. This means that this half-term UK parents will experience costs which total a whopping £2.7billion.

To help families still enjoy half-term fun, Premier Inn, the largest and fastest growing hotel brand, has a ‘Great Days Out’ scheme that offers great value family breaks. Families staying at a Premier Inn can get a ‘2 for 1’ or ‘kids go free’ offer at a selection of over 800 attractions across the UK, with kids staying and eating breakfast free, costing from just £50 per family room.

Typical costs for the coming half-term include:

- Unpaid leave per parent per day - £65.11
- Additional childcare per average family per week - £91.56
- Average attraction entry fee for the family for a day (e.g. zoo/ theme park/ castle) - £57.87
- Lunch/ refreshments - £30.00
- ‘Extras’ (e.g. guide book/ souvenirs) - £77.44

Premier Inn spokesperson Steve Conway, Head of Marketing for Premier Inn, said:

“Holiday time can be really fun for children, but this half-term is going to put a lot of financial pressure on families. Given the current economic climate, and with Christmas looming, parents across the UK are going to feel it even more than usual. Premier Inn offers a great value alternative, to allow families to have a short break, without having to break the bank.”

For more information and hotel bookings, log on to Premierinn.com.