
Cost of looking after children in summer holidays causing concern among grandparents, survey reveals
According to a survey, 53 per cent of grandparents are set to step in and look after their grandchildren this summer, spending more than £21 per day on each child on average
The research, commissioned by MyVoucherCodes, found this was up from £15.80 per day when the website commissioned a similar survey in 2024.
When asked how often they will be looking after their grandchildren this summer, one in eight (12 per cent) said they will be providing care every day during the school holidays, and a third (33 per cent) will help out two to three times a week.
But the rising cost of entertaining grandchildren is causing concern, with more than a quarter (26 per cent) of grandparents saying they are worrying somewhat about the cost.
Activities that grandparents are planning with youngsters include caravan trips; outings to theme parks, zoos or safari parks; sports camps and go-karting, according to the survey of 1,000 grandparents across the UK with grandchildren aged under 18.
OnePoll carried out the survey for MyVoucherCodes in May and June 2025. A previous survey, also among 1,000 grandparents, was carried out in May and June 2024.
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 they are worried about the cost of caring for them this 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.'
Tips for cutting summer holiday costs:
1. Take your own snacks to attractions, where food and drink can sometimes be expensive. Grandchildren could also learn some cooking skills by taking part in baking items to take on days out.
2. Group up with other friends or family members to get group discounts and save on travel costs.
3. Look for local free events. Libraries, museums, and community centres often run free or low-cost activities during the holidays.
Hashtags

Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles


Times
an hour ago
- Times
Do I need an Esta to travel to the US? Everything you need to know
The Esta, which was introduced in August 2008, is a pre-authorisation for travel to the US. Citizens from 42 countries — including the UK — must apply for one before travel, unless a proper visa is required. It's important to note that the Esta is not a visa, rather a visa waiver; an authorised application does not necessarily permit entry when you arrive in the US. Google 'Esta application' and you'll find there are many copycat sites willing to apply for one on your behalf; make sure you always use the official site ( Here's what you need to know. Broadly, if you're a Brit travelling to the US for holiday, to see friends and family or for short-term work for fewer than 90 days, then yes. The 42 countries that must apply for an Esta include most of Europe, plus nations including Singapore, New Zealand and South Korea. All children must have an Esta, regardless of their age or whether they're accompanied by their parent or guardian. The exceptions are if you've travelled to a country on the US' so-called 'red list', which includes Yemen and Syria after 2011, or Cuba after 2021. In this case, you'll need to apply for a proper visa, which will involve a visit to the US embassy in London, or the consulates in Belfast and Edinburgh. Note that you will need an Esta even if your flight just transits through an American airport — all connecting passengers are required to go through immigration and recheck their bags. • Discover our full guide to the US Yes, even if you don't get off the ship. The cruise company will check all documents are correct before you board, so apply for an Esta in advance of your departure date — do not wait until the date your ship will eventually call at the US. • The best US cruise lines Typically applications are approved in a few hours, but the official guidance is to apply at least three days before you're due to depart. Airline staff in the country you're leaving will check for a valid Esta before you're due to board, so make sure it's in place before you fly (or cross the land border). Two years, or when you get a new passport — whichever is sooner — and you can make as many trips during that time as you like, as long as no one visit lasts for more than 90 days. You can check the expiry date by logging into the official Esta site and clicking 'check individual status'. • Best places to visit in the US An Esta is $21 (£15) through official channels. However, there are also plenty of unofficial websites that will happily charge an inflated price to apply for one on your behalf; an easy way to tell is to check the price you're quoted. One of the recommendations of President Trump's 'Big Beautiful Bill' is to raise the price of the Esta to $40 (£30), but it's not yet known when this might come into effect. The Esta form will ask you for a 'point of contact' in the US. This could either be a friend or family member you're visiting, or the name and number of the hotel/apartment you've booked. Myriad reasons — but a large number are turned down due to incorrect information being entered, so take extra care when filling in your passport number and personal information. Other reasons could include having a criminal record, previously overstaying a visa or lying on the application about your travel history. If your Esta is rejected, you will likely need to apply for a proper visa. • New York v Toronto: which is better?• Best time to visit the US: when to go and what to do


Daily Mail
4 hours ago
- Daily Mail
Kylie Jenner reunites with Timothee Chalamet in France... after partying with her gal pals
Kylie Jenner and Timothée Chalamet proved their romance is going strong as they reunited at Shellona Beach in Saint Tropez on Monday. The 27-year-old makeup mogul and 29-year-old A Complete Unknown actor held hands during a group outing in the south of France. The lovebirds were flocked by security personnel while they were each dressed fashionably for the beach day. Jenner accentuated her curves in a leg-baring ivory mini dress with nautical stripes. And for his part, Chalamet was clad in a green, navy, and white Nigeria soccer jersey. His effort to fly under the radar with a green-and-white bandana over his blue Nike cap was a failure but did earn him points for creativity. Kylie showed off her surgically enhanced chest, whose breast implant details she recently revealed, in her vacation look. Her thick and lustrous dark locks were down, falling down her back in a lightly tousled texture. The mom-of-two, who shares seven-year-old daughter Stormi and three-year-old son Aire with ex Travis Scott, added narrow black sunglasses. Underneath the shades, her visage was softly made up with matte products from her Kylie Cosmetics range. Joining the couple was Kylie's older sister, 29-year-old model Kendall Jenner. The catwalk queen looked runway-ready in a figure-hugging little black dress that grazed her thighs. She accented her look with a gray and white pinstripe scarf, which she stylishly draped over her neck. The 818 Tequila founder slipped her feet into a pair of black thong sandals with a heel, and she slung a brown purse over her shoulder. The lovebirds were flocked by security personnel while they were each dressed fashionably for the beach day Jenner accented her look with a gray and white pinstripe scarf The French holiday comes days after eagle-eyed fans noticed that the billionaire reality television star recently started following Timothée on Instagram. The notoriously private couple had previously not shown any signs of their romance on social media. For his part, the Call Me By Your Name star does not follow anyone on Instagram, where he boasts 19.7 million followers. Insiders revealed earlier this year that Jenner and Chalamet have agreed to a set of stipulations regarding their relationship. While the twosome have started attending public events together, they do not post each other online. And Timothée will not appear on Kylie's family Hulu series The Kardashians. Chalamet was clad in a green, navy, and white Nigeria soccer jersey and matching Nike hat topped with a green and white bandana Jenner appeared to be in great spirits as she flashed a smile while in conversation Before their French excursion, the two were most recently seen publicly during the NBA playoff games, with the duo sharing kisses courtside as they cheered on the actor's beloved New York Knicks. Jenner and Chalamet began dating around April 2023, but did not make their red carpet debut until the 70th David Di Donatello Awards in May 2025. A source revealed to Us Weekly around the same time that the lovebirds are 'practically living together.' 'Kylie's really happy and relieved they finally made their debut. It was time and she wanted to publicly support him and show how proud of him she is,' the insider shared. 'She and Timothée have gotten really serious, and this was a big step.' The person close to the stars also divulged, 'They are practically living together at this point, as he stays at her house often when he is not working. He has been fully integrated into her life.' And it was said that 'everything is going really well' between the two. Before falling in love with Timothée, Kylie was in a four-year on-off romance with rapper Travis Scott.


Telegraph
5 hours ago
- Telegraph
Airport liquids rule lifted ... depending on where you fly from
The 100ml liquid rule has been lifted at two airports ahead of the summer holidays. Holidaymakers at Birmingham and Edinburgh airports will no longer be banned from packing liquids measuring more than 100ml into their hand luggage. The airports have installed next-generation scanners, meaning passengers may now carry up to two litres of liquids. The 100ml limit was first introduced in 2006 after a plot to blow up transatlantic airliners with liquid explosives was uncovered. The rules were set to be removed at every airport last year, but the plans were scrapped after a number of airports failed to install the scanners in time. The change meant Newcastle, Leeds Bradford, London City, Aberdeen, Southend and Teesside airports had to make an about-turn on their introduction of the new scanners. Now the Department for Transport has given the go-ahead for airports to start rolling them out one by one. However, there are fears that the piecemeal introduction of the new scanners could lead to confusion among holidaymakers uncertain of whether the airport they are travelling from allows larger amounts of liquids. Passengers will also no longer be required to take liquids out of their bags when they go through the scanner. The first to introduce the new scanners was Birmingham airport last Wednesday. A spokesman for the airport said it would 'enable a faster and more efficient processing of hand luggage'. 'We are pleased passengers can now benefit from this change in ruling, made by the Government in time for the summer peak,' he added. On Monday, Edinburgh airport followed suit. 'A whole generation of travellers have only known the 100ml rule to be the case, so it really is a momentous day as we become the first airport in Scotland to lift the rule since it was introduced in 2006,' said Gordon Dewar, its chief executive. 'The change allows more flexibility for passengers to take liquids through security, all while maintaining and improving our high safety levels through the use of 3D technology.' Lifting the 100ml liquids restriction was seen as one of the key post-pandemic improvements tempting families back to air travel. Amsterdam Schiphol, Helsinki, Frankfurt, Rome Fiumicino, Milan (both Linate and Malpensa), Cork and Shannon are among the European airports to have rolled out the new technology.