Parents or carers in full-time work said to be 'dreading' expense, and sum may be even higher in Wales and south-east England

Parents can expect to spend more than GBP1,000 per child for care over the school summer holidays, according to research.

A survey by the children's charity Coram found that British families will be paying, on average, GBP1,049 for summer childcare for children aged from four to 14 - GBP635 more than they would pay for six weeks of after-school childcare during term time.

The figure is based on six weeks of holiday childcare at GBP175 a week - the average national cost, according to Coram's survey. Parents in the south-east of England outside London are having to pay GBP216 a week, and those in Wales GBP209 a week, where childcare costs have risen by 15% in a year. For parents in inner London, the weekly average is just below GBP153.