Amount of cash grandparents splash on summer childcare duties per DAY is revealed

For many it is precious time with their grandchildren and a chance to forge memories that are beyond price.

But looking after the youngsters during the summer holidays doesn’t come cheap.

This year it is reckoned that taking on childcare duties will mean grandparents spending £21.05 per day on each grandchild on average.

And the cost of activities such as caravan trips, outings to theme parks, zoos or safari parks, sports camps and go-karting is becoming a worry for some.

More than half (53 per cent) of grandparents with grandchildren aged under 18 will take on childcare duties.

And one in eight said that they will be providing care every day during the school holidays, while a third will help two to three times a week, according to a survey of 1,000 grandparents by discount website MyVoucherCodes.

But the rising cost of entertaining grandchildren is causing concern, with 26 per cent of grandparents saying that they are worrying somewhat about the cost.

It has increased from £15.80 per day when the survey was carried out in 2024.

This year it is reckoned that taking on childcare duties will mean grandparents spending £21.05 per day on each grandchild on average

Sarah-Jane Outten, consumer and shopping expert at MyVoucherCodes, said: ‘It’s clear to see that many parents across the UK are calling on grandparents to step in to help with childcare.

‘But for some, the generosity is coming at a cost. One in four reveal that they are worried about the cost of caring for them these summer holidays.

‘But days out don’t have to be expensive – and there are plenty of ways you can take advantage of loyalty schemes and two-for-one offers on attractions to make savings.’

British grandparents provide care worth around £7.7 billion in the summer holidays, a report by SunLife, the insurer for over-50s, found in a separate report.

Chief executive Mark Screeton said it was ‘lucky’ that parents can rely on grandparents.

He added: ‘While some grandparents may struggle with the physical and financial impact of helping out, most are more than happy to help if it means they get to spend time with their grandkids, with the vast majority willing to spend their own money in the process.’

Parent coach Kari Roberts, a mother of three with grandchildren, said there could be an ‘expectation’ and ‘sense of entitlement’ from parents who expected elders to help out.

‘It’s not about how much you love your grandchildren, but it’s about setting boundaries around what you’re comfortable with, and of course those will be different for everyone,’ she told Saga.