20 July 2025, 08:19 | Updated: 20 July 2025, 08:23

By Tom Swarbrick

It’s nearly the start of the school summer holidays - that wonderful six-week stretch that, as a child, felt like it went on forever.

Was it August? Was it July? Who knew? All you knew was that you were going to have fun.

But it’s a lot less fun for mum or dad, who still have to work throughout—unless they’re teachers, like my parents were. Both of them had the holidays off too. Most people aren’t so lucky. They’re left trying to manage work and childcare, and the cost has skyrocketed - up 4% year on year. God knows what it’s been over the last decade.

Families now face a bill of £1,076 per child for childcare over the six-week summer break. That’s what UK families are paying for holiday care clubs- £677 more than they’d pay for six weeks of after-school clubs during term time.

Hang on a minute - what?

Wales has the highest weekly........

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