Dorset single parents set to struggle with rising costs this summer holiday

There is concern Dorset single parents will struggle to cope with rising costs this summer.

43% of South West parents have told a survey they're worried about the cost of entertaining their child more than anything else in the coming school holidays.

63% of the region's single parents also say they're less likely to go on holiday abroad this year because they have less disposable income.

Further to this, only 15% of parents in the South West are planning on paying for summer activities to get their kids out of the house.

We spoke to Victoria Benson - the Chief Executive of charity Gingerbread who support single parents in Derbyshire - who tells us these figures are likely to be worse with mums and dads on their own.

She said: "The cost of living crisis has disproportionately affected single parents.

"They're more likely to be in lower paid jobs and 90% of them are going to be on universal credit when it is fully rolled out.

"Of course they were already struggling to afford things but now with the dramatic increases in the cost of living, in food prices, in childcare - they don't have the savings or any buffer to afford these increases.

"For most single parents, a holiday away is a distant dream - most single parents won't be able to afford a holiday, certainly not one abroad

"The median income for a single parent is £15,000, its pretty low and with the cost of holidays its just unfeasible.

On what Victoria Benson would like to see to support single parents going forward, she said: "The government did provide support during the pandemic with an uplift to universal credit - this is needed even more now.

"We would ask the government to provide some immediate support to families really, really struggling."

Gingerbread offers support to single parents throughout the country, with a support group based in Dorchester for local families.

Their helpline can be reached on 0808 802 0925 if you require their services.

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• cost of living