Families are all shapes and sizes these days. This much, everyone is well aware. There are your typical 2.4 children sized families and there are families with two Mums or two Dads and it is widely accepted. It is the 21st Century and of course, it should be accepted. Everyone is treated equally, and rightly so. However, those that seem to not be treated equally is the single parents out there.
PayPlan has recently done some very interesting research and their findings show that a family day out, or indeed a holiday will cost more for one adult and more than one child than it does for a typical family of four. This is ludicrous. Why is this, I hear you ask. Let me explain.
You will have noticed when you go out for a day trip, that more often than not, a ‘family ticket’ is an option upon entry. This is great for large families as more often than not, a great deal is done and money can be saved. But do you ever see the same option for one adult and more than one child? I don’t think I ever have.
Take a look at this infographic that PayPlan has put together. It explains it really clearly.
I am astounded that a family ticket on a Virgin train is half the price than that of a ticket for a single adult and two children. How is this fair? There are fewer people taking up fewer seats yet they are being charged double? This is very wrong and in my opinion, it needs looking into sooner rather than later.
Another shocking example is the Mediterranean Family Cruise. The cost to take a single adult and two children on a cruise compared to a family of two adults and two children is almost double – where is the justification in this?
Single parents will undoubtedly be on a lower income than most two-parent families, yet they are expected to pay more. At the same time, they are likely to be made to feel guilty if they cannot afford to take their children on days out and holidays that all of their friends are enjoying.
Why are companies not looking at the bigger picture and taking into consideration that one in four families in the UK are single-parent families? Why are they not putting together money saving ticket options for families of different shapes and sizes? Not every family has two adults and two children and you shouldn’t be punished financially if this is the case,
The world is catching up fast with modern family setups and is far more accepting than it ever has been, but it seems they are struggling to keep up with the needs of single-parent families. By simply offering varied family ticket options, they could improve the financial situation and lifestyle of millions of families. It’s really not something that should be ignored.
Are you a single parent that has noticed the pinch during days out? How has it affected you? Let me know in the comments.
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6 Comments
I think there needs to be options. Here usually one adult and 2 kids is less than the family, but the discount is less than the cost of paying for the second adult. The other thing is the three kids (or more) – family passes should have an extra kid discount for each kid on top of the 2. As I usually go with just me and the kids, I either get a family for the 4 of us, or pay per head, as that can be cheaper. If we’re 5, then it’s usually full price for the third child. The other option is to team up – go with a friend and their kid and split the cost.
This is a really cool post, and I guess it’s based on the standard average but there should be more options.
A really informative piece, and a well-argued case. I am not a single parent, but agree wholeheartedly this is all so unfair. Enda, from endastories.com. #TriumphantTales
Wow! I never really sat and thought about it. That is ludicrous! Great article #TriumphantTales
Wow some of the figures are unbelievable – it seems very unfair. #triumphanttales
I’ve always assumed this would be the case but it certainly hits home when the stats are put like that. Hopefully something will be done about it as it doesn’t seem fair at all. #TriumphantTales