As the cost-of-living crisis deepens, a new survey commissioned by The Salvation Army reveals that many parents in the UK are sacrificing their own basic needs to give their children a semblance of summer joy.
The survey, conducted in May 2025, found that 35% of parents intend to forgo meals to ensure that their children can attend holiday clubs.
Additionally, 36% lack the means to pay for childcare, and the same proportion say they are unable to leave work to look after their children during the school holidays.
Nearly one-third (30%) said a family holiday was completely out of reach this year.
In response, The Salvation Army has launched a summer support campaign throughout the UK and Ireland, offering free activities, meals, and uniform aid to ease the pressure on struggling households.
Assistant Secretary for Mission Major Kerry Coke highlighted the stark contrast between the intended joy of summer and the grim reality many families face: “The summer holidays are meant to be a time of joy and fun but poverty can rob children of the chance to play and explore.
“It’s not just the cost of food, but the cost of activities has soared. Then when the new school term approaches, buying school uniform is an added financial burden.
“Our officers and volunteers up and down the country are doing what we can to help vulnerable children have some summer joy in their lives, whether it’s running our own camps, organising summer club activities or helping parents in practical ways with school uniform swaps, lunch clubs and foodbanks.”
The charity is running a wide range of programmes including summer day camps, arts and crafts activities, film clubs, and breakfast and lunch provisions for children.
In places like Feltham, London, families can attend weekly breakfast sessions paired with creative activities, while in Newark, the Toasties Café serves free meals alongside fun events.
In Winton, Dorset, free meals are being offered every Wednesday to help ease food insecurity.
County Durham is hosting summer community days filled with food and games, giving children a chance to enjoy their holidays in a safe and supportive environment.
Recognising the looming burden of back-to-school costs, many local Salvation Army churches have also introduced school uniform exchanges in towns such as Hackney, Shipley, Gateshead and Guildford.
These initiatives aim to relieve the financial strain on parents ahead of the autumn term.
One of those affected is a mother raising seven children on her own.
Impacted by the two-child benefit cap, she relies heavily on Universal Credit and local food initiatives just to survive.
She shared: “The Universal Credit payments I receive go on bills and rent. Then if I need to buy a school uniform or anything else for my kids it comes out of whatever is left over, and then if any unexpected bill comes in, I panic. My Universal Credit payments basically go on everything but food at the minute so I have to get that support where I can.
“There have been times where I will go without food myself, sometimes weeks without a proper meal, so my kids can eat, and I’ll finish any of the leftovers that the children leave on their plate. It’s horrible to live like this and it’s horrible to think of anyone having to resort to those measures, but needs must, and for me, it is my reality.
“I’m really just surviving each day. I get what I can from food projects and support from places like The Salvation Army.”
