Campaign Stats:
- 32 Items of Coverage
- Audience Reach: 5.8 Million
4media group were commissioned by consumer credit reporting agency, Equifax to look at the impact half term has on single parents via a broadcast PR campaign. The campaign consisted of research of 2,000 UK adults which supplemented a broadcast day. The research specifically looked at the financial impact, finding that Single parents are struggling to accommodate extra costs for their children during half term. The broadcast day was fronted by Single mum Jamelia, best known for Loose Women and her career as a pop star. Jamelia was able to talk about the extent that single parents struggle to financially provide for their children, especially during half term. She was accompanied in the studio by Lisa Hardstaff, credit information expert from Equifax.
The research, conducted by our in-house research division, Atomik Research, found that a fifth of single parents have called in sick in order to look after their children during the school holidays. They are also much more likely to have had to take holiday from work (56% v 46%) or taken unpaid leave (35% v 18%) than those in dual-income households.
Single parents also feel more pressure to spend money during half term to keep their children entertained – according to the report by Equifax. Unsurprisingly, 4 in 5 single parents therefore think they need more support when it comes to funding.
The financial pressure that single parents face during half term is also apparent during the Christmas and holiday season. 42% of the single parents surveyed admit that they have regularly fallen behind, or even completely missed, credit card payments and bills after Christmas, and a third even admitting to falling behind on rent after Christmas spending. The research has also found that shockingly, most parents expect to spend an average of £178.29 on their children this half term – only £70 less than the average Christmas spend.
And it’s not just the parents making sacrifices. Over 4 in 5 (82%) single parents say children miss out on social activities as well because they are too expensive. 4 in 5 parents overall have agreed that school holidays are getting more and more expensive every year, with over three quarters (76%) agreeing there are less free options during the school holidays compared to 5 years ago.
The broadcast day achieved 32 interviews including 27 region BBC stations. Highlights included Heart London, BBC Radio London, BBC Radio Merseyside, BBC Radio WM, BBC Radio Manchester, BBC Radio Newcastle, BBC Radio Cambridgeshire and many more.