Some families 'can only afford holidays during term-time'

Friday, April 9th 2010

British families are going on holiday during school term-time because they cannot afford to travel during peak season, according to research from Tesco Bank.

The survey found that 44 per cent of UK parents were doing this and 63 per cent of these families are doing so because they do not have the money to go on holiday at any other time.

Director of the Family Holiday Association John McDonald said: "It is very understandable that parents want to be able to give their children access to a break and provide them with all the benefits that a holiday can deliver for a family."

It is possible for schools to grant authorised absence because having a holiday can benefit the child and the school itself, he continued.

Mr McDonald suggested that low-income families could be offered holiday vouchers to help them with the cost of a break.

The Tesco Bank research found that 22 per cent of parents did not think time away from school would impact a child's education.