Petition to tackle holiday prices in school holidays

[Sb74]

petition.parliament.uk/petitions/226515/sponsors/new?token=PNpep4mVeQ9WPLw0WUsu

Please sign my petition if you agree with it. I’m asking for the government to change school holidays so they’re different throughout the country. There will be crossovers of course but by spreading out when schools have holidays will spread holiday demand and should lower holiday prices for families. Why should families, who pay more than couples anyway, have to pay 3 times more? We are held to ransom as we have no choice except feel like bad parents taking the kids out of school to get a reasonable deal. Families deserve nice holidays without getting into debt. Why do we all put up with it? The holiday companies can’t do anything about it as they respond to the marketplace like any other industry so school holidays changing is the only way to reduce the cost of holidays. I hope you will support this. It may seem unachieveable and a dream but all changes start somewhere. I believe some European countries spread school holidays out throughout the country. If holidays were the same for the schools within each county but staggered throughout counties as much as possible then this could change the landscape for family holidays for us and our kids and their kids. Life is expensive enough with kids why should parents be penalised for keeping the human race going. Surely travel is important to children’s upbringing to make them rounded confident people as well as having quality time as a family away from the stresses of home. Also wouldn’t it be better economically if people leaving the country and being off work was more spread out? I hope you can open the link to sign. It can be found on the government website for petitions if not. Look for heading’ to legally change school holidays in each county in U.K. so they are different. Please support this and let’s get fair prices for holidays

As for the school fines question, the taking children out of school for holidays would be much less at primary level if doing so put you lower in the queue for secondary school places of your choice. Or for those who do this year after year, parent's passports being withdrawn for a period of time.

This already happens in Scotland- each educational area sets there own holidays. In practice each area starts their holidays within a 2 week window because of exam timetables.

What has changed since the government debates on the subject in 2014 and 2016?

I really hope this is a joke..

It is supply and demand. More people want to go in July and August therefor it's more expensive.

Your plan would reduce a whole years income for, lets say a hotel. So the hotel would have to put prices up year round to achieve the same yield.

Are you suggesting hotels, campsites. Cottages etc just get less money? Many would go out of business.

Nobody "deserves" nice holidays. It's a luxury. If you can't afford to go then you don't go.

So only rich people can go on holidays? People on low incomes deserve a nice holiday the same as the rest of us.

Indeed, totally ridiculous

Ill sign OP but don't know if this is the answer.

I don’t think the logistics etc will have such a negative impact personally.

Because they don't affect you?

You've already been asked but failed to answer, why should those travelling without children be penalised to accommodate you?

Ridiculous.

It’s supply and demand, the same way everything is priced in a capitalist society.

No, families don’t “deserve nice holidays”. It’s a luxury. Not a right.

Having to pay more for holidays and being restricted to certain times are the things you have to accept as part and parcel of being a parent.

”the opportunity to buy a fairly priced holiday should be equal to all”

I think there are a lot more genuine life-affecting inequalities in our society which need addressing more urgently than the “opportunity” to save money on luxury items.

Would you be thinking the government should dictate to all schools when their holidays should be?

@Sb74 many European countries do what I’m suggesting.

And it's been explained why - completely different educational and state systems within the country. We do not have that.

*Nobody "deserves" nice holidays. It's a luxury. If you can't afford to go then you don't go.

So only rich people can go on holidays? People on low incomes deserve a nice holiday the same as the rest of us*

I am low income. Haven’t been abroad since 1996. If I “deserve” this “right” shouldn’t the petition be to set up some sort of holiday benefit for low income families so we can all have the “nice holiday” we are entitled to?

Thought not.

This petition serves those who can afford holidays, they just want a better holiday for less money. Does nothing for those of us who can’t afford the holiday in the first place. Except fuck with our childrens educations.

There’s a reason the Sun’s £9.50 holidays are popular- there is a significant amount of us who can’t afford a holiday full stop.

It's not fair stamps foot Doris down the road has a new car and we are driving an old banger! Buying a new car should be affordable for all families equally!

Agree with everyone who says that higher prices are part and parcel of being a parent. We benefitted from taking holidays in April or November when the kids were younger, we shall again when they're out of school.

Ridiculous. Home educate your children and set your own holidays if this is such a big problem for you.

So only rich people can go on holidays? People on low incomes deserve a nice holiday the same as the rest of us.

Extend this. Why single out holidays? People on low incomes surely deserve a nice house, a nice car, nice food? Why do only rich people drink top notch champagne? Or sit in the best seats at the opera?

Branleuse has it spot on. What we are talking about here is basic economics; supply and demand. This applies across any market economy. Prices go up in the summer holidays because a) nobody wants to go in January when it's cold and b) because there's a surge in demand. If you are the company who lays on the Santa's grotto, you'll be busy November to January and not in the summer. The difference with a hotel is that it has to cover its costs all year round to be able to exist for those summer weeks.

Why should families, who pay more than couples anyway, have to pay 3 times more?

Erm, because there are more people going on that holiday so it should be more expensive.

I think your intentions are good, but I don't think it will make any difference. Ultimately most people want to travel when the weather is nice (so skiers want a decent amount of snow, beach goers wants warm dry weather) so the peak for beach holidays in UK and Europe will always be May-September irrespective of school holidays. Most people would prefer to do a caravan holiday in the UK in July/August compared to April/May because the weather is more likely to be nice. I'd feel pretty hard done by of my dcs 'summer holidays' were in early May. We might luck out and get glorious weather in Cornwall or Bendidorm or it might rain non-stop. The med is quite cold to swim in May, I'd prefer to go a bit later.

I don’t think families having to pay 3 times more in allowed holiday periods is a joke. This is no joke. Families should be allowed to go on holiday for a reasonable price. I realise that it sounds radical to change a holiday system but unless people stand up for things nothing changes. Maybe in years gone by this has not been an issue but with more people wanting to go on holiday both at home and abroad and prices just being ridiculous it is an issue now. I realise everyone has different views and values and this might sound ludicrous to some but most people I know like to take their families on holiday but it’s a struggle. Not because they are being excessive but because prices are hiked up. All I’m trying to achieve is for the government to debate the problem and hopefully some solutionIs. I don’t know the full implications but that’s not my job to know. Unless people take action then this situation will continue and I don’t want my children not being able to take their families away they’re older because it’s even more expensive. Travel is not essential but I think it’s important personally as many others do. If you don’t agree, I respect that.

Sb74

Let me put it this way.

Why should a single person, or a childless couple be put further back in the queue for time off because you want the system to be fairer to you but much less fair to them?

And before you say 'se sere all in the same boat once, it will equal itself out' the answer to that is

Bollocks does it.

Oh this

why should parents be penalised for keeping the human race going.

Is just pure drivel, like you were thinking of that at any point until you wanted a cheap holiday.

Sorry but you are wasting your time.

Imagine the problems scheduling exams. It would disadvantage some kids who would get back from holidays just before exams with less/no time to revise.

And these petitions never work.

People on low incomes deserve a nice holiday the same as the rest of us.

We're not on a low income, we earn just above average. My daughter is about to start school and I think we'll go camping next year as even Butlins will be out of our price range in the holidays as we are still paying £££ in nursery fees for our son.

Of course that is fine. A holiday isn't necessary. It's lovely but not a right. If we can save a bit more we might stretch to a caravan holiday somewhere but it's ridiculous to think it's a given. No wonder so many people are in debt as they feel they have to spend thousands on a luxury holiday.

What a daft idea, OP.

Adjust your own idea of a what a "holiday" is, rather than expecting the rest of the world adjust their lives to save you a few pounds.

When I hear someone say that they're taking their children out of school to get a cheap holiday and the cheap holiday is camping in Wales rather than hotel in South of France, then I will look at this sort of thing

Until that is happening, I will just think people need to cut their cloth depending on their money.
A holiday abroad is not a right.

I know too many people that a cheap holiday in UK is too much to afford to give any sympathy to people who are moaning about prices when they won't consider that

why should parents be penalised for keeping the human race going

Oh FFS.

So you need to make sure families have access to cheap holidays to ensure the human race doesn’t die out?

There are huge social issues in the UK- maybe focus your time and attention on one of those, and not on your selfish entitlement to a cheap apartment for a week in Benidorm.

Wrote a long reply but lost it. So short version:

This is economically nonsensical
You sound weirdly entitled

This just won't work- it's supply and demand. Standard business practice.

What right do the government have to tell private companies how much they are allowed to charge? What next? Fixed prices that plumbers have to charge? Supermarkets who all have to have the same cost for a tin of beans?

Many schools round here have started putting training days altogether and attach them to a half term. Staff do ten twilight sessions and so also have these off. One school I know was able to gain an extra weeks holiday just by making the school day 15 mins longer.
The reason for this was to make available a cheaper week for family holidays.
Guess what? Local airlines have put up their prices before and after the half term weeks to cash in.

Staggering holidays could also cause significant difficulties to families/ teachers who have children in different local authorities.

One of my teacher friends works in a neighbouring borough to where her DCs are at school. A few years ago Essex LA fixed their Easter break regardless of where Easter is. Havering didn't and her holidays ended up in a totally different fortnight to her kids.

We had same problem- DD1 was at school in Essex and DD2 in Southend. One broke up as the other went back...