School trips are fast becoming a luxury, with new research suggesting two-thirds (64%) of parents have been unable to pay for their child to attend an expensive excursion in recent years.

A poll of 2,000 parents of school-aged children, by Hyundai, also found local days out – such as day visits to museums and theme parks – are now unaffordable for 16% of families. 

On average, school trips cost parents about £203 per child each year, said Hyundai – but for some, the cost will be far higher. 

One parent shared on X how their school had planned a four-day excursion to Iceland for pupils, with an eye-watering cost of £1,280.

She’s not alone. Another parent shared on Mumsnet how her son, a Year 9 pupil, had been given the opportunity to go to Kenya to volunteer at a school.

“I think it is an incredible opportunity,” said the parent. “But I have a few conflicting feelings,” she explained, adding that the trip would cost £1,800, which she couldn’t really afford.

And even when the trips are closer to home, the costs soon rack up. 

Writing on Money Saving Expert’s forum, one parent whose children attend state school said she had been asked to pay £23.50 for a trip to the pantomime and £245 for a two-day residential for her Year 7 child.

She added that her other child, who is in Year 5, also had a two-day residential and a pantomime trip planned, and she was expecting to have to shell out £500+ on school trips for both children in the space of a year.

“The school trips expected in the next few years are likely to be even more expensive. We are not as hard-up as many families but we do make very careful decisions about how to use the spare cash we’ve got,” said the concerned parent.

“I don’t feel like it is fair for school to decide they want something for the children that costs so much more than they can pay and then expect parents to foot the bill.

“I phoned the school to discuss this today. They offered financial assistance if we couldn’t afford it. I don’t feel I can take it as we are nowhere near as badly off as some.”

Despite the rising costs, 63% of parents believe school outings and trips away positively impact their children’s mental wellbeing. 

And the guilt is real when you can’t afford to send your child on a trip which their friends are able to go on. 

Over two-thirds (67%) admitted they feel guilty when their child misses out due to financial constraints. A further 37% said their child has had to stay at school while their peers headed off somewhere exciting.

And nearly half of parents (49%) are concerned about the long-term impact that missing out on these experiences may have on their child.

In 2023, VoucherCodes estimated that over the course of a child’s education, parents could end up splurging £2,250 on trips, per child – but with soaring living costs, this figure is likely to rise even further.

Hyundai’s Great British School Trip programme, which helps foot the bill for expensive outings, has supported 146,882 children to go on school trips in the past three years. 

Ashley Andrew, president of Hyundai Motor & Genesis UK, said of the poll’s results: “These findings highlight the financial challenges many families are facing, making it harder to access school trips.

“While parents are eager to provide these opportunities, rising costs are increasingly putting them out of reach.”

Hyundai has reopened bursary applications as of today to ensure more children can benefit from school trips. You can apply here.