A poll of 2,214 mothers for a charity showed that 54% planned to cut back on trips because of money worries. The largest expense, according to 75% of those polled, was entry fees, with cost of transport and eating out also concerns. The charity's more detailed face-to-face research found that some couldn’t afford summer days out as their food costs rise during summer because children are not getting free school meals.

Family Action Chief Executive Helen Dent said: "Families are facing summer on a shoestring with parents and children cooped up at home as a result of falling incomes and rising prices”. The charity is appealing for firms to stop their discriminate pricing and to offer more reasonable deals all year round. Days out enhance children's educational development, however with parents cutting back this summer, they are not feeling the benefits.

The poll indicated that most families would have at least one family day out, however those on the lowest incomes were least likely to do so. Plus those on higher incomes still see a week's holiday in the UK as part of a minimum standard of living. Dent explained that most of the families they support would be lucky to even get out for a day.