Agencies-Gaza post
Back-to-school increases parents’ pressure
With the cost of bringing a child back to school as much as €1,500, many families find themselves being forced into debt and the current cost-of-living problem is going to see those families squeezed even other.
Last year, even before the inflation crisis, over 50% of the parents who took part in the Barnardos survey said they were worried about the back-to-school costs.
One-third of all parents reported that meeting costs were made more difficult during the Covid pandemic, and one in five said they take out some form of loan to pay for school fees.
Over half of primary school parents, and almost two-thirds of secondary school parents stated the costs of uniforms rose last year. Many also said the price of books had increased between 2020 and 2021.
This year, the Irish League of Credit Unions (ILCU) found more families are getting themselves into debt, and one in ten are thinking of using an illegal moneylender.
The use of credit cards to purchase back-to-school things is up by 6% to 23%, and a significant jump in the number of parents cutting back on extracurricular activities, rising to 67% from 46% last year.
Almost 90% of parents said their income or household costs had been affected by increasing costs of living, and more than 90% reported seeing additional costs for groceries and utility bills.
More than one-in-three families said they are struggling to make their budget stretch to cover the additional cost of living additions.
When school-going fees are added the number who are working increases to 42%.
One in ten said falling into debt in an effort to cover household costs.
The costs
So what are the fees? School books and uniforms are calculated to cost an average of €210 and €195 respectively.
Many families surveyed also added they are still being charged ‘voluntary contributions’, estimated at the ILCU at €124 for primary schools and €146 for secondary.
Due to the present price of living crisis, the back-to-school clothing and footwear allowance was recently increased by €100.
This tells children aged between four and 11 are entitled to €260 through the scheme and older children will receive €385.
Payment has also been brought forward to today from August when it is usually delivered.
Declaring the increases, Social Protection Minister Heather Humphries stated the extra €100 per child will benefit 260,000 children.
The school meals program, also run by the Department of Social Protection, is to be extended to include the 310 new schools added to the DEIS scheme.
The schedule, which contains hot meals and packed lunches, is currently provided to 230,000 kids.
School transport costs have also been waived for the year, with Education Minister Norma Foley speaking the move would give families savings of up to €500 on the cost of tickets.
A spokesperson for the Department of Education told the Irish Examiner that any further steps will be considered in the context of the budgetary process.
