Beaches and borrowing: 10% of UK adults ‘putting summer 2025 holiday on credit'
Meanwhile, 7% are using credit to partly fund their summer getaway.
Some 2% of people said they are still paying off their 2024 summer break. A further 2% did not borrow for last year's trip but wished they had.
People in London are the most likely to use credit to entirely fund their 2025 summer holidays, the research indicates, with 17% planning to do so, compared with just 4% in Wales.
Northern Ireland (14%) followed closely behind London, while 10% of people in Scotland, the Midlands and southern England said they will use credit to pay entirely for their holiday. Some 7% of people in northern England will put their summer break on credit, the research indicated.
Gen-Z adults aged 18 to 24 are the most likely age group to be putting their 2025 summer holiday on credit, with 14% planning to fund their trip by borrowing, according to the survey of more than 2,100 people across the UK in June, carried out by YouGov.
Some types of credit may offer certain protections if something goes wrong. For example, people paying by credit card may find they can claw money back using Section 75 of the Consumer Credit Act, if they do not get the service they were expecting, depending on the circumstances.
Section 75 allows people to raise a claim with their bank or lender for a breach of contract or misrepresentation by the supplier.
Madhu Kejriwal, chief executive of TransUnion in the UK and Europe, said: 'These findings highlight the growing role of short-term credit in making holiday plans a reality.
'Clearly, responsible credit use can help consumers to afford or spread the cost of life moments, like holidays.
'However, consumers should be aware of the risks of longer-term financial pressure and ensure they only make credit arrangements than they can afford to repay.'
Here are some suggestions from TransUnion for holidaymakers using credit:
1. Read the credit agreement carefully before booking a holiday.
Check the terms and conditions of your credit agreement or buy now, pay later loan thoroughly, including repayment deadlines and any late payment fees. Missed or late payments, even on small amounts, may be reported to credit reference agencies and negatively impact a credit report, potentially affecting the ability to borrow in future.
2. Keep an eye on all credit purchases.
Credit for flights, accommodation, and extras can quickly add up when planning a holiday. Keep a clear record of how much credit has been taken out and set reminders or enable automatic payments to avoid missed repayments and additional fees.
3. Monitor credit reports.
This can help people to understand their financial standing before and after a holiday. Credit reports can often be checked for free.
4. Do not ignore bills if you are struggling.
Contact the lender for support or seek free support from charities such as StepChange Debt Charity, or National Debtline which is run by the Money Advice Trust.
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
The National
4 hours ago
- The National
EU voters strongly back independent Scotland joining bloc
YouGov surveyed thousands of people across France, Germany, Spain, Italy, and Denmark – as well as the UK – to canvas for views on relations post-Brexit. The polling firm found that a majority of voters support the UK rejoining the EU across all six nations. Asked 'Would you support or oppose the UK rejoining the European Union?', the results were: UK: 55% support vs 34% oppose France: 53% support vs 22% oppose Germany: 63% support vs 18% oppose Denmark: 72% support vs 9% oppose Spain: 60% support vs 18% oppose Italy: 51% support vs 17% oppose The respondents were also asked if they would support or oppose an independent Scotland joining the EU. YouGov found stronger support for that eventuality across all countries – except the UK itself. Asked 'If Scotland voted for independence from the rest of the UK and asked to join the European Union, would you support or oppose allowing it to do so?', the results were: UK: 46% support vs 32% oppose France: 63% support vs 13% oppose Germany: 68% support vs 10% oppose Denmark: 75% support vs 6% oppose Spain: 65% support vs 13% oppose Italy: 64% support vs 11% oppose In the 2016 EU referendum, Scotland voted to remain in the bloc by 62% to 38%. Northern Ireland also voted to remain, by 56% to 44%. However, England and Wales both voted to leave by 53% to 47%, which was enough to see politicians remove the entire UK from the EU. READ MORE: Mark Brown: Why I plan to join Scotland's new radical left party Elsewhere, the YouGov survey also asked respondents whether they would be happy to see the UK retain opt-outs and benefits – such as to the Euro and Schengen area – which it had due to special circumstances within the EU before leaving. Voters in most countries said the UK should not be allowed to regain those opt-outs. The results were: UK: 57% should vs 21% should not France: 19% should vs 59% should not Germany: 22% should vs 58% should not Denmark: 43% should vs 36% should not Spain: 21% should vs 62% should not Italy: 19% should vs 58% should not Finally, YouGov asked if voters would support the UK rejoining the EU if the only way it could do so was through regaining those special circumstances. Asked if they would support the UK rejoining under these conditions, the results were: UK: 55% support vs 25% oppose France: 33% support vs 46% oppose Germany: 36% support vs 41% oppose Denmark: 62% support vs 14% oppose Spain: 33% support vs 52% oppose Italy: 33% support vs 44% oppose The results suggest that there is no way back for the UK to regain the special position it held before voting to leave the bloc in 2016. If ministers at Westminster were to heed public opinion and look to rejoin the EU, obstacles such as joining the Euro may make it a political impossibility. YouGov Eurotrack survey asked the opinions of 2029 UK voters, 1008 French voters, 2323 German voters, 1016 Danish voters, 1058 Spanish voters, and 1014 Italian voters between June 12 and 27, 2025.
The Independent
10 hours ago
- The Independent
Brexit: Most people in France, Germany, Italy and Spain want UK to rejoin EU, poll finds – but on new terms
Most people in the four largest countries in the European Union would welcome the UK back into the bloc, a new poll has found – but not on the same terms it had before. At the same time most Britons are in favour of rejoining the EU, the YouGov survey of six western European nations found, but only if they can keep the opt-outs the UK previously had, such as remaining outside the Schengen zone and keeping its own currency. The results come just days after Keir Starmer welcomed French President Emmanuel Macron to the UK for the first state visit from an EU leader since Brexit. The Labour leader has said he wants to fix Britain's damaged relationship with the European Union for the benefit of 'generations to come'. Now, 10 years after MPs voted to hold the referendum that led to Britain leaving the EU, the poll found that at least half of people asked in France, Germany Italy and Spain, supported the UK being allowed to rejoin, a range that spanned from 51per cent support in Italy to 63 per cent in Germany. But the pollster said the results revealed a 'public opinion impasse'. Asked if Britain should be allowed to return on the same conditions as when it left, support fell. Just one in five across the four countries, from 19 per cent in Italy and France to 21 per cent in Spain and 22 per cent in Germany agreed, but more than half, 58 to 62 per cent, saying the UK must be part of all of the EU's main policy areas. In the UK, 54 per cent supported rejoining the EU, but that number fell to 36 per cent if it meant giving up previous opt-outs. If that was the case, 45 per cent said they opposed returning to the EU. The final European country polled, Denmark, one of three member states to hold significant opt-outs itself, was more enthusiastic about allowing UK to keep its previous opt-outs, a stance 43 per cent of people said they backed. The official Office for Budget Responsibility estimates that the size of the UK economy will be four per cent smaller over the long term than it would have been without Brexit. The Independent also revealed earlier this year that Brexit has created a 'mind blowing' nearly two billion extra pieces of paperwork for businesses - enough to wrap around the world 15 times.
The Guardian
11 hours ago
- The Guardian
Most people in France, Germany, Italy and Spain would support UK rejoining EU, poll finds
A decade after MPs voted to hold the referendum that led to Britain leaving the European Union, a poll has found majorities in the bloc's four largest member states would support the UK rejoining – but not on the same terms it had before. The YouGov survey of six western European countries, including the UK, also confirms that a clear majority of British voters now back the country rejoining the bloc – but only if it can keep the opt-outs it previously enjoyed. The result, the pollster said, was a 'public opinion impasse', even if there seems precious little likelihood, for the time being, of the UK's Labour government, which this year negotiated a 'reset' with the bloc, attempting a return to the EU. YouGov's EuroTrack survey showed that at least half of people asked across the four largest EU nations – France, Germany, Italy and Spain – supported the UK being allowed to rejoin, with percentages ranging from 51% in Italy to 63% in Germany. Asked whether Britain should be allowed back in on the same conditions it enjoyed when it left, including not having to adopt the euro currency and remaining outside the Schengen passport-free zone, the numbers changed significantly. Only one-fifth of respondents across the four biggest EU members, from 19% in Italy and France to 21% in Spain and 22% in Germany, felt the UK should be allowed return as if it had never left, with 58-62% saying it must be part of all main EU policy areas. The pollster stress-tested western European attitudes by asking whether, if the UK was only willing to rejoin the EU on condition it could keep its old opt-outs, it should be allowed to. Some (33-36%) felt this would be OK, but more (41-52%) were opposed. In the UK, while 54% of Britons supported rejoining the EU when asked the question in isolation, the figure fell to just 36% if rejoining meant giving up previous opt-outs. On those terms, 45% of Britons opposed renewed membership. The survey found that remain voters and those who backed more pro-EU parties would still broadly back rejoining if this meant adopting the euro and being part of the Schengen area, albeit at much lower rates. Almost 60% of remain voters said they would support rejoining the EU without the previous opt-outs, down about 25 percentage points from the non-specific question, as would 58% of Labour voters (-23 points) and 49% of Liberal Democrats (-31 points). Sign up to First Edition Our morning email breaks down the key stories of the day, telling you what's happening and why it matters after newsletter promotion The percentage of Eurosceptic voters willing to rejoin without the previous special treatment more or less halved, falling from 21% to 10% among leave voters; 25% to 12% among Conservative voters, and 15% to 9% among Reform UK supporters. The fifth continental European country polled, Denmark, proved an outlier. Respondents there were very keen (72%) for the UK to rejoin, and more enthusiastic than larger member states about it keeping its previous opt-outs (43%). Denmark, however, is one of only three EU member states to hold opt-outs in major EU policy areas. The survey also found that large majorities in all five continental countries (63-75%) would support an independent Scotland joining the EU.
