Many thanks to Lee, Chief Executive Officer of Isle of Wight Citizens Advice Bureau for this latest news. Ed
‘Back to school’ is putting a tremendous strain on parents’ finances as one in four borrow to cover the cost of a new uniform, reveal new national figures from Citizens Advice.
Isle of Wight Citizens Advice Bureau finds that 70% of parents in the South East face costs of over £70 for a new school uniform for each child this term – and 20% will fork out more than £150 per uniform.
Appeal to Island schools
Isle of Wight Citizens Advice Bureau is calling on schools in on the Island to find ways to cut costs for families.
The national figures also find that only 11% expect to pay under £30 for a new school uniform.
Parents are therefore having to find different ways to cope with the costs. A third have planned ahead for the expensive pullovers by saving up money for their child’s school uniform, and a fifth earn enough to absorb the cost.
But a quarter will resort to borrowing money – rising to a third among unemployed parents – and 23% of all parents don’t know how they’ll pay for it.
‘Great BIG school uniform survey’
The new figures are from Citizens Advice’s national poll; ‘great BIG school uniform survey’ which received 1,000 responses and ran online from 2 July to 12 August 2013. It finds nine out of ten parents will buy a new uniform this year.
Citizens Advice also tracked school cost trends by analysing over 70 client cases related to school clothing struggles, reported to bureau between June 2012 and 12 August 2013.
While the national survey found two in three parents expect their children’s school uniform will cost more this year than last, it’s not just the rising prices that are responsible for the school-squeeze. Parents told Citizens Advice that school mergers often led to the introduction of a new uniform. Branded school clothing and a change in uniform policy also bring considerable extra costs to parents.
Borrowing to buy uniforms
One Mum on the Island said she has three children, all at different ages, all at different schools, with too large an age gap to be able to pass the uniforms down to the other siblings.
Already struggling with debt, she was having to borrow money to be able to purchase the required school uniforms. This in turn had a knock on effect by placing her in more debt and causing more issues with rent, bills, council tax etc.
Restricted from getting best price
Citizens Advice discovered 72% of parents have to buy their child’s uniform from a specific shop. This stops mums and dads shopping around for the best price and often forces them to pay over the odds for school clothing.
Last summer, figures from the Office of Fair Trading (OFT), revealed parents can pay up to £10 more for each item of school clothing from a specific store.
Through ‘the great Big school uniform’ study, parents revealed different ways that schools and councils are supporting them:
- first school uniform is provided by the academy;
- second hand uniform sales are included at summer and Christmas fairs;
- they offer certain first items free;
- help is available towards costs;
- they are able to make weekly payments for school uniforms;
- children can wear generic uniform bought from cheaper shops such as supermarkets.
Cost of trips a worry too
Uniforms are not the only costs families will face this term. The vast majority (86%) of parents are worried about how they will afford school trips.
Lee Hodgson from Isle of Wight Citizens Advice Bureau said:
“Parents are feeling the pinch as the rising cost of living takes a toll on the family finances. Mums and dads shouldn’t have to resort to borrowing money to pay for new school kit.
“School uniforms need to be affordable. It’s really important that schools bear in mind the current squeeze on household budgets when they set uniform policy,and think about what help they can offer parents if the uniform needs to change because of a school merger.”
