Nearly three out of four economically struggling families in Denmark cannot afford a week’s vacation away from home this summer, a new Red Cross survey shows. For many, it’s been years since they went anywhere at all.
Summer vacation is supposed to mean freedom and adventure. In Denmark, it often means shame. I’ve watched this divide deepen over the years I’ve lived here, and the numbers are now impossible to ignore. A new survey from Red Cross of 1,773 parents who received Christmas aid shows that 71 percent could not take their children on a week’s vacation outside the home this summer. The reason, for 90 percent of them, is simple. They don’t have the money.
One mother in the survey put it bluntly. “We have not been anywhere, not experienced anything, not even a trip to the cinema in the last five years. It is hopeless and terribly painful not to be able to give my son experiences.” That’s not an outlier. That’s the reality for a growing slice of Danish families.
When Vacation Becomes a Source of Dread
The survey reveals that 65 percent of parents say their children miss out on activities during the summer. Nearly half, 48 percent, believe their kids have felt excluded when they return to school or daycare after the break. They have nothing to talk about. No stories to share. Just silence while other children describe trips to Sweden, beach days, or amusement parks.
Anders Ladekarl, secretary general of Red Cross, says the exclusion is what strikes him hardest. “The lack of experiences in the vacation manifests as embarrassment and sadness in the children when they have to go back to school and have nothing to tell,” he said. It’s not just about missing a trip. It’s about feeling less than.
The Real Cost of Living in Denmark
Denmark is an expensive country. That’s not news to anyone who lives here. But the inflation of recent years has pushed families who were already on the edge into a place where even small pleasures are out of reach. A separate study by Rambøll for Mødrehjælpen found that 77 percent of economically strained families did not go on a week’s vacation in 2024. Only 14 percent said they could afford all the activities they wanted during the summer.
What does that mean in practice? It means no café visits. No zoo trips. No cinema. One parent described it this way: “One day takes the other, and there is nothing to look forward to. Nothing to be happy about or over. It affects both me and the kids, but we try with what we have.”
Where Help Falls Short
Red Cross offers summer camps for children from struggling families. Last year, 1,175 children and parents attended local camps or family camps. Another 1,372 participated in day trips during school holidays. These programs are run entirely by volunteers, and Ladekarl is grateful for them. “When I visit a camp, I see nothing but smiles and laughter,” he said. But the demand far exceeds what’s available.
Other organizations are trying to fill the gap. Mødrehjælpen offers 400 kroner per child, up to three children per family. Enestående Forældre provides 1,500 kroner to single parents. These are small amounts, but they can make the difference between a day at the beach and another week at home. Still, applications outstrip funds. Many families get turned away.
A Problem Denmark Doesn’t Want to See
This isn’t just about vacation. It’s about a welfare state that prides itself on equality but leaves a segment of its population behind. An Egmont Foundation analysis from 2023 found that over 80 percent of the poorest families did not go on vacation. About 40 percent of children did nothing but stay home. No outings. No activities. Just empty weeks.
I’ve lived in Denmark long enough to know that this country doesn’t like to talk about poverty. It disrupts the national story. But the data is clear. The organizations working on the ground see it every day. And the families living it don’t need statistics to know they’re struggling.
What Needs to Change
Red Cross and Mødrehjælpen both argue that ensuring children have a decent summer is a societal responsibility, not just a charity project. They’re calling for more public funding and coordinated support from municipalities. Right now, help is patchy. Some towns work closely with NGOs. Others don’t. There’s no national strategy to ensure every child gets at least one week of real vacation.
The current system relies on volunteers and donations. That’s admirable, but it’s not enough. When nearly three quarters of economically strained families can’t afford a single week away, something fundamental is broken. These aren’t isolated cases. They’re a pattern. And patterns demand structural solutions, not just goodwill.
Denmark can do better. It should.
Sources and References
Ritzau: Vi har ikke været nogen steder i fem år: Sommerferien gør ondt i økonomisk trængte familier
The Danish Dream: Copenhagen Red Cross sees surge in volunteers
The Danish Dream: Denmark caps job help at 10,602 kr per unemployed in 2026
The Danish Dream: Suicide crisis help in Denmark fails non-Danes
