Felix finds over half of parents feel financial strain during holidays
Research found that 58% of parents and carers experience more financial pressure during school holidays, with 17% saying the pressure is significantly greater.
Published 28 July 2026
A food rescue charity has found the school holidays are creating significant financial pressure for families, with nearly three in five parents saying household budgets come under greater strain when children are off school.
The research by Felix, formerly The Felix Project and FareShare, found that 58% of parents and carers experience more financial pressure during school holidays, with 17% saying the pressure is significantly greater.
A key driver of the increased financial pressure is the cost of feeding their children. Three-quarters (76%) say they spend at least £20 more per week on food, while more than half (51%) spend £30 or more extra each week.
The most common increase in weekly food spending was between £20 and £29.99 a week, cited by 25% of respondents. A further 22% spend an additional £40 to £49.99, while 9% report spending £50 or more. That could equate to needing to find an extra £300 for just food over the six weeks.
Felix aims to help children and families over the summer, it rescues high quality food that cannot be sold and would otherwise go to waste and gets it to over 8,000 community organisations including holiday clubs and community centres that offer holiday activities.
School holidays should be a time for families to relax and spend quality time together, but the findings highlight that for many parents they also bring significant financial challenges. When schools close families lose access to breakfast clubs and free school meals and must cover the cost of all these meals, snacks. With food prices remaining a major concern for many families, it is vital Felix is here to do what it can to help families during this stressful time.
— Rachel May MBE, Head of Community at Felix
One of the organisations that receives food from Felix is Sandycroft Hub & Pantry, North Wales. They put on extra services for families over the summer holidays with special recipe packs and hot meals. They even put on a Family Fun Day for the community, where families can enjoy entertainment, food and drink for free.
Sandycroft Hub & Pantry has become my saving grace as a single parent. They help me feed my children nutritious food and support me with meal ideas, when my brain was full. The kitchen is the heart of the hub and during the summer holidays becomes a real life-saver, as there’s many more mouths to feed. My two kids are constantly hungry in the holidays and with rising food costs, it’s so hard to keep to budget when you’re doing a regular grocery shop. Sandycroft’s pantry always makes sure we have healthy and hearty food at a fraction of the cost. It really does take away the ‘summer stress’ when you’re trying to enjoy the break as a family.
— Katie, one of the parents supported by Sandycroft Hub & Pantry
This summer, Felix will be working even harder to make sure all services receive a wide range of food to help families. For the six weeks of the holidays, they are calling on suppliers to donate more food and help struggling families.
In London, with most of the schools Felix delivers to in term time closed, the extra food will be delivered to a further 130 organisations over the summer. This will ensure more food is getting to those who need it.