We recently read a survey by Clearpay that appeared in The Independent about the cost of kids' sports activities in the UK. In the report, The Independent said that hockey is the priciest sport for children in the UK. According to the report hockey averages about £460 per year, slightly above average sport spend of £443 per child. In the report, hockey is followed by dance (£395), basketball (£372), tennis (£359) and gymnastics (£350).

⚠️ But That Survey Doesn’t Tell the Whole Story
The Clearpay poll covers only a subset of organised children's sports and averages across all participants. It does not account for certain high‑cost youth sports such as equestrian, motocross, golf, or skiing, which can cost parents several thousand pounds annually.

Equestrian sports, including horse care, stabling, vet bills, transport and competition entries, are often far more costly than £1,000 per year, depending on level and discipline .

Motocross requires a bike (often £1,000+), maintenance, protective gear and travel to events—overall one of the most expensive sports in the UK.

Golf, too, can be unexpectedly high-cost: first-year setup (equipment and training) in the UK averages £374, placing it in the top rankings among children’s sports

Expense Factors That Drive Cost
The Clearpay data breaks down the average spend on hockey (£460) as follows:

Lessons/coaching: £81
Specialist kit: £67
Footwear: £66
Travel: £62
Club fees: £59
Equipment: £43

But we took a look at our own fees at Chesterfield HC and this gave us the following figures:

Junior hockey membership £100 (2 hrs per week).
Match fees £30 (10 junior matches at £3 per match).
Summer training sessions £20.
Total: £150

Admittedly, if this is the player's first year, then the start-up costs should be factored in (although this would be true of most sports):

£30-£50 trainers
£20 shin pads
£5 gumshield
£30-£50 stick
Total: £85-£125

*Figures above based on a U8-U12 player.
But add all those together and it's just £235 to £275 in first year which is still around £200 cheaper than the figures quoted in the survey.

✅ Final Verdict
While hockey may be the most expensive common organised sport in the Clearpay study, that doesn’t make it the most expensive youth sport overall. In fact in Chesterfield, we're confident that we're priced at a competitive level that gives a lot of value for money.
As you progress there can and will be increased costs such as team training and playing kit, extra training sessions (County and talent academy), better sticks and new trainers but all things considered we still see it as a great sport to get involved in.

#evergreen