Updated June 2026
Summer should feel like freedom. Long days, time together, a break from the routine. But for millions of families in the UK, the school holidays bring a different kind of pressure - and if you're feeling it right now, you're not imagining it.
Free school meals stop. Childcare costs rise. Six weeks is a long time when money is tight and the usual support isn't there. There's no such thing as a perfect summer, and surviving it is enough.
This is a space for practical help - whether you need to know where to find free activities, what financial support you're entitled to, or how to talk to your kids when things are hard. No judgement. Just useful.
What you'll find here
Help with costs during the school holidays
Practical answers to the questions families ask us most - from school uniform grants and energy bill support to food bank referrals and the Holiday Activities and Food programme. Each question includes Save the Children's guidance alongside the perspective of parents who've been there.
Free things to do with kids during the school holidays
Ideas for keeping children entertained, active and learning without spending anything - from nature walks and library visits to home science experiments and community events.
How to talk to your child about money and not having enough
One of the hardest conversations parents face. Practical, honest advice on talking to children of different ages about financial difficulty - and how to make the school holidays feel special even when money is tight.
How Save the Children supports families in the UK
We've been working directly with families and communities across the UK, making sure children don't miss out on childhood because of poverty. Through our grants programme, we've delivered more than 10,500 grants reaching over 21,000 children, working alongside more than 120 trusted local partner organisations in 30 communities across the UK.
We provide practical support, and we campaign for the changes that will make a lasting difference - like our No limits to Childhood campaign - which lifted 450,000 children out of poverty.
Hallie, two, and dad Anson play together at Dads' Club in Cardiff.
Need urgent help right now?
Help through Hardship helpline (food bank referrals and benefits check): 0808 208 2138, free, Monday-Friday 9am-5pm, England and Wales
Find your local Holiday Activities and Food programme (just type your council and holiday activities and food programme on Google)
