In a survey of 1,000 British parents with children aged eight or under, it was revealed the average parent will spend more than £400 (an average of £433.39) on parties for their children – every year.
According to the research, which was conducted by Barclays, parents across the UK spend almost £5,000 (£4,886.28) on their children’s birthdays throughout their primary school years (between the ages of four and 11).
Catering, entertainment, party bags, activities and cake are the top five most expensive part of the celebrations, say the parents who responded to the research, although they also revealed they will often spend as much as £223.05 on party bags. With the average party attended by approximately 15 children, this equates to £14.87 per bag.
“As a parent, it’s easy to understand why people spend so much money on children’s birthdays,” said Clare Francis, savings and investments director at Barclays. “But the money spent on presents and parties all adds up!”
The news follows the recent media backlash which occurred when a parent asked her guests to contribute £6 each so the whole class could be invited. While many commentators expressed surprise at the request, others admired the open approach.
