Save the Children Cymru’s latest survey reveals 89% of parents in Wales think that the summer holidays put both financial and emotional pressure on families with half (51%) saying the summer holiday is the most challenging of the year – ahead of the Christmas break (42%).
One in four parents (25%) said they would struggle to buy basic summer treats like an ice-cream, one in five said they’d struggle with essentials like suncream and hats, and only one in five (20%) think they can definitely provide the same summer experience for their child as they had when they were younger.
The findings for Welsh families come from a survey of 2000 parents with at least one child aged 16 or under across England, Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland carried out by Opinium for Save the Children UK in June and July. There were 211 respondents in Wales prior to weighting.
Melanie Simmonds, Head of Save the Children Cymru, said: “No parent should be facing a summer of stress and worry, and no child should dread the school holidays. But our survey shows that cost of living pressure is continuing to squeeze family budgets across Wales. While many families are finding it harder to make ends meet, those on the lowest incomes are facing the greatest challenges, with no summer break from poverty.
“But there is opportunity going forwards to begin to address this through the Welsh Government's plans to pilot a Welsh Child Payment. This payment would be a powerful lever to address child poverty and give families the support they need to ensure children have the childhood they deserve.”
Summer Holiday Emotions
The survey found parents in Wales had positive emotions about the holiday period, with excitement (45%) and joy (33%), but they also cited stress (40%), feeling overwhelmed (35%), anxiety (29%) and worry (31%). One in five parents (23%) described feeling guilty as they approach the holiday.
Financial Pressures
One in four parents (26%) said they worry about struggling to feed the whole family over the break. Half (50%) worry about affording a family day out – though more said they could afford it this year, than in 2025. And 28% worry about affording leisure activities like going swimming.
When asked how parents prepare for the summer holidays, they reported that they reduce their own spending (37%) and 21% said they borrow money or use credit ahead of the holidays.
Missing out on childhood experiences
One in four (25%) said their children will miss out on days out and 37% said there won’t be a family holiday. Parents are most worried that their children will spend too much time on screens (49%), be bored (47%) or spend too much time on their own (23%) during the break.
ENDS
More details about how Save the Children is supporting families this summer can be found here: School Holiday Support for Families | Save the Children UK
Website: https://www.savethechildren.org.uk/what-we-do/child-poverty/uk-child-poverty/wales Wales | Save the Children UK
For more information on free days out: Things to do with Kids for Free | Save the Children UK
For further details please contact [email protected] / 020 7012 6841
Notes to Editor
Save the Children’s Big Summer Survey was conducted by Opinium between June 22nd - July 3rd 2026. 2,000 UK parents with at least one child under the age of 16 were polled. The full results can be found here.
The data was weighted to be representative of parents across the UK by the parents age, parents gender, working status and social grade. Respondents in Wales were then boosted to increase the number of respondents from this region while maintaining a robust spread among demographics. Base: 211 respondents in Wales (unweighted). After weighting adjusted to 230.
About Save the Children Cymru:
One-third of children in Wales are currently affected by poverty. Since the 1930s, Save the Children has worked alongside Welsh communities to ensure every child has the support they need to grow, learn, and thrive. Our vision is a Wales where all children are free from poverty and have what they need to grow and succeed, supported by strong, connected communities that listen to and act on children’s voices.
DATANIAD I’R WASG DAN EMBARGO TAN 00:01 DYDD GWENER 17 GORFFENNAF 2026
Haf o Straen: Mae bron i naw o bob deg rhiant yng Nghymru yn dweud eu bod yn teimlo pwysau ariannol ac emosiynol gwyliau haf yr ysgol
Mae arolwg diweddaraf Achub y Plant Cymru yn dangos bod 89% o rieni yng Nghymru yn credu bod gwyliau'r haf yn rhoi pwysau ariannol ac emosiynol ar deuluoedd gyda hanner (51%) yn dweud mai gwyliau'r haf yw'r mwyaf heriol o'r flwyddyn – yn uwch na gwyliau'r Nadolig (42%).
Dywedodd un o bob pedwar rhiant (25%) y byddent yn cael trafferth prynu danteithion haf sylfaenol fel hufen iâ, dywedodd un o bob pump y byddent yn cael trafferth gyda hanfodion fel eli haul a hetiau, a dim ond un o bob pump (20%) sy'n credu y gallant yn bendant ddarparu'r un profiad haf i'w plentyn ag a gawsant pan oeddent yn iau.
Daw'r canfyddiadau ar gyfer teuluoedd Cymru o arolwg o 2000 o rieni ag o leiaf un plentyn 16 oed neu iau ledled Lloegr, yr Alban, Cymru a Gogledd Iwerddon a gynhaliwyd gan Opinium ar gyfer Achub y Plant y DU ym mis Mehefin a mis Gorffennaf. Roedd 211 o ymatebwyr yng Nghymru cyn pwysoli.
Dywedodd Melanie Simmonds, Pennaeth Achub y Plant Cymru: “Ni ddylai unrhyw riant fod yn wynebu haf o straen a phryder, ac ni ddylai unrhyw blentyn ofni gwyliau’r ysgol. Ond mae ein harolwg yn dangos bod pwysau costau byw yn parhau i wasgu cyllidebau teuluoedd ledled Cymru. Er bod llawer o deuluoedd yn ei chael hi’n anoddach dod â dau ben llinyn ynghyd, y rhai ar yr incwm isaf sy’n wynebu’r heriau mwyaf, heb wyliau haf i ffwrdd o dlodi.
Ond mae cyfle wrth symud ymlaen i ddechrau mynd i’r afael â hyn trwy gynlluniau Llywodraeth Cymru i dreialu Taliad Plant Cymru. Byddai’r taliad hwn yn lifer pwerus i fynd i’r afael â thlodi plant a rhoi’r gefnogaeth sydd ei hangen ar deuluoedd i sicrhau bod plant yn cael y plentyndod y maent yn ei haeddu.”
Emosiynau Gwyliau’r Haf
Canfu’r arolwg fod gan rieni yng Nghymru emosiynau cadarnhaol am gyfnod y gwyliau, gyda chyffro (45%) a llawenydd (33%), ond fe wnaethant hefyd sôn am straen (40%), teimlo’n llethol (35%), gorbryder (29%) a phryder (31%). Disgrifiodd un o bob pump rhiant (23%) deimlo’n euog wrth iddynt agosáu at y gwyliau.
Pwysau Ariannol
Dywedodd un o bob pedwar rhiant (26%) eu bod yn poeni am frwydro i fwydo’r teulu cyfan dros y gwyliau. Mae hanner (50%) yn poeni am fforddio diwrnod allan i'r teulu – er bod mwy wedi dweud y gallent fforddio hynny eleni, nag yn 2025. Ac mae 28% yn poeni am fforddio gweithgareddau hamdden fel mynd i nofio.
Pan ofynnwyd iddynt sut mae rhieni'n paratoi ar gyfer gwyliau'r haf, dywedasant eu bod yn lleihau eu gwariant eu hunain (37%) a dywedodd 21% eu bod yn benthyca arian neu'n defnyddio credyd cyn y gwyliau.
Colli allan ar brofiadau plentyndod
Dywedodd un o bob pedwar (25%) y bydd eu plant yn colli allan ar ddiwrnodau allan a dywedodd 37% na fydd gwyliau teuluol. Mae rhieni fwyaf pryderus y bydd eu plant yn treulio gormod o amser ar sgriniau (49%), yn ddiflas (47%) neu'n treulio gormod o amser ar eu pen eu hunain (23%) yn ystod y gwyliau.
…
DIWEDD
Mae rhagor o fanylion am sut mae Achub y Plant yn cefnogi teuluoedd yr haf hwn ar gael yma: School Holiday Support for Families | Save the Children UK
Website: Cymru | Save the Children UK
Am fwy o wybodaeth am ddiwrnodau allan am ddim: Things to do with Kids for Free | Save the Children UK
Am fwy o fanylion cysylltwch â [email protected] / 020 7012 6841
Nodiadau i’r golygydd
Cynhaliwyd Arolwg Haf Mawr Achub y Plant gan Opinium rhwng Mehefin 22ain - Gorffennaf 3ydd 2026. Holwyd 2,000 o rieni yn y DU gydag o leiaf un plentyn o dan 16 oed. Gellir dod o hyd i'r canlyniadau llawn yma.
Pwysolwyd y data i fod yn gynrychioliadol o rieni ledled y DU yn ôl oedran y rhieni, rhyw'r rhieni, statws gwaith a gradd gymdeithasol. Yna rhoddwyd hwb i ymatebwyr yng Nghymru i gynyddu nifer yr ymatebwyr o'r rhanbarth hwn gan gynnal lledaeniad cadarn ymhlith demograffeg. Sylfaen: 211 o ymatebwyr yng Nghymru (heb eu pwysoli). Ar ôl addasu'r pwysoli i 230.
Am Achub y Plant Cymru
Mae tlodi yn effeithio ar draean o blant Cymru. Ers y 1930au, mae Achub y Plant wedi gweithio ochr yn ochr â chymunedau yng Nghymru i sicrhau bod pob plentyn yn cael y cymorth sydd ei angen arnynt i dyfu, dysgu a ffynnu. Ein gweledigaeth yw Cymru lle mae pob plentyn yn rhydd o dlodi ac yn cael yr hyn sydd ei angen arnynt i dyfu a llwyddo, gyda chefnogaeth cymunedau cryf, cysylltiedig sy’n gwrando ar leisiau plant ac yn gweithredu arnynt.