- Dresses (£114) and suits (£81) top the list for the most expensive prom items, followed by shoes (£50) and transport (£49)
- With prom costs reaching hundreds of pounds per child, more than 1 in 5 (22%) parents admit they had to dip into savings to cover costs
- Unsurprisingly, more than 2 in 5 (42%) parents have felt increased pressure to fork out for proms over the years
- More than half (58%) of parents believe proms have become more extravagant
- Confused.com's personal financial expert Tara Evans shares her top tips to help families manage prom costs while still giving their children a night to remember
With prom season in full swing, research finds that parents are forking out an average of £680 to give their child an experience to remember.
That's according to research from personal finance experts at Confused.com which found that over a third (38%) of parents are experiencing financial pressure when planning prom for their children.
Prom is a milestone experience for many children across the country, marking the end of their time in compulsory education. And with the opportunity to dress up and celebrate with friends, there's a risk of social and financial pressures for parents.
The research reveals how much parents are spending on prom items for their children, and the costs can quickly mount up.
| Item | Average spend |
|---|---|
|
Specialist shop dress
|
£114
|
|
High street dress
|
£81
|
|
High street suit
|
£81
|
|
Specialist shop suit
|
£76
|
|
Shoes
|
£50
|
|
Transport
|
£49
|
|
Accessories
|
£41
|
|
Hair (professional)
|
£39
|
|
Tickets
|
£37
|
|
After parties
|
£34
|
|
Makeup (professional)
|
£29
|
|
Hair (DIY)
|
£26
|
|
Makeup (DIY)
|
£23
|
With prom costs exceeding hundreds of pounds, the special event has quickly become a financial strain for many, as more than 1 in 5 (22%) parents surveyed claimed they had to dip into their savings to cover the costs.
For those who've done it multiple times, more than 2 in 5 (44%) have found that costs have increased over the years. And more than half (58%) have found that proms have become a much more extravagant affair.
As a result, many will be looking at ways to cut costs while still giving their child a night to remember. Yet, for nearly a third of parents (31%), prom is not a priority expense, but because it's such a milestone event for their child or children, they have made it work financially.
Due to this, parents have funded proms in different ways. Half (50%) of respondents said they used their salary to cover prom expenses. While a further 17% set savings aside specifically to pay for their child's prom.
For over 4 in 10 (42%) parents, the increasing extravagance and costs have resulted in them feeling pressured about the occasion. That's as 40% of parents believe that their child's prom choices, including their outfit and mode of transport, would affect their social standing at school, adding further pressures to parents and children alike.
Many would assume that outfits, transport, hair and makeup are the main costs traditionally associated with prom. However, there are hidden costs that many don't know about until it comes to paying. Nearly a fifth (16%) of parents were blindsided by unexpected prom expenses like flowers and photography.
The pay disparity in proms is clear too, with the research suggesting that proms would be more expensive for girls than boys.
The average prom cost for a girl (if she had a specialist shop dress and had her hair and makeup done professionally) is £393. Whereas for a boy, the average cost amounts to £287, depending on whether they wore a specialist suit. With a £106 average difference between the two, parents could end up spending more if their daughter is attending prom compared to their son.
With costs increasing, proms are an expensive time for many parents. And for those with more than one child, the costs can quickly double, treble, or stretch even further. With 29% having paid for multiple children to attend proms, parents are experiencing the financial realities of more extravagant proms.
As a result, over two fifths (45%) of parents believe schools should limit or cap the cost of proms in schools. This would relieve some of the pressures parents experience around proms as well as making the event more affordable.
Despite increasing costs, there are ways that parents can save money but still give their child a special prom. Almost 1 in 5 (19%) would consider rental or second-hand items to save money on prom costs. A further 41% have already got prom items second-hand, including a dress (12%), accessories (11%), shoes (10%), and a suit (8%).
And the ways to save don't stop there. For those doing their own hair and makeup for prom, they would save £19 on average, which could go a long way in helping to fund additional costs.
Yet, some parents have still had to cut back on certain things to afford prom. Nearly a quarter (23%) cut back on putting money into their savings to give their child a full prom experience, while 16% cut back on leisure activities. The experience of a prom also resulted in 12% of parents cutting back on other family experiences like days out to keep up with the costs.
Nearly half (46%) rate prom as being good value for money, but at what cost to their finances?
Tara Evans, personal finance expert at Confused.com shares her top tips on managing the costs of prom:
"Prom can be a milestone event for both parents and children, marking an end to their school education and giving pupils the opportunity to celebrate with their friends and do something different to their day-to-day life.
"It can be the event of the year for plenty of pupils and something that young people look forward to for the year.
"While there are many expectations around prom for both parents and children, there are ways that parents can make prom a little more manageable for their finances all while giving their child an unforgettable experience. These include:
- Shopping second hand: Our research reveals that plenty of parents already do this to reduce prom costs. Shopping on places like Vinted or eBay are cost effective ways to save money on your child's outfits, accessories, shoes, or even decorations. The second-hand market is growing and becoming a more popular alternative to high street shopping.
- Rent or borrow items: Similar to shopping second hand, renting or borrowing items is a great way to save and it means you don't have to hold on to items you may not use again either.
- Travel as a group and split the cost: Travelling with friends is part of the fun and experience of prom. Not only this but it can help to cut the costs too. The more people who travel with you, the cheaper the transport. Don't forget to book in advance too!
- Set a budget beforehand: Proms are almost always a guarantee for pupils leaving Year 11 or sixth form, so planning a budget in advance and saving towards prom could help. Using apps like Monzo lets you put money into pots so you can easily keep track of what you're saving.
- Get saving: Even just stashing away £2 a week pocket money could help with saving up to cover the cost of prom for your child. You could even give them easy household tasks, like hoovering, so they can earn money to pay for their experience.
"Giving your child a prom to remember doesn't have to come at the expense of your bank account or finances. Cutting back and saving on a few things can go a long way, without hindering your child's prom experience or breaking the bank."
- ENDS -
Unless otherwise stated, research carried out by One Poll on behalf of Confused.com of 795 UK parents with prom experience or upcoming proms for their child or children. This was conducted between 3rd - 15th June 2026.
Media information
Confused.com press office
chloe.walters@confused.com
katharine.adair@confused.com
pressoffice@confused.com
About Confused.com
Launched in 2002, Confused.com was the UK's first digital marketplace for car insurance and is one of the leading brands in the sector, generating over one million quotes per month. It has expanded its range of comparison products over the years to include home insurance, van insurance, motorcycle insurance, and car finance comparison, as well as a number of tools designed to save consumers money.
Confused.com is not an insurance company or lender. It provides an objective and unbiased service. By using cutting-edge technology, it has developed a series of intelligent web-based solutions that evaluate a number of risk factors to help customers with their decision-making, subsequently finding them great deals on a wide-range of insurance products, financial services, utilities and more. Confused.com's service is based on the most up-to-date information provided by UK suppliers and industry regulators. Confused.com is authorised and regulated by the Financial Conduct Authority.
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