It’s broke to school time

Parents going hungry in cost of living crisis

- BILLY RYAN

PARENTS have told how they’ll have to miss meals to afford their children’s schooling — as a survey lays bare how the cost of living crisis is hitting households.

One parent of a secondary school pupil told a charity: “I can’t afford back to school costs without having to miss meals to cover it. God forbid how we’ll heat the house come winter.”

They were speaking as part of the Barnardos Back To School Survey 2022, which quizzed more than 1,100 parents about their struggles to make ends meet.

It found that the majority are worried about back to school costs and will find it harder as a result of recent cost of living increases.

And parents are finding themselves under considerable financial pressure to meet costs with some having to take worrying measures.

Barnardos has set its sights on Budget 2023 and is calling on the Government to provide free schoolbooks and guarantee that uniforms are affordable.

They also called for the increased Back to School allowance to be maintained and an end to voluntary contributions.