With the current cost-of-living crisis, fed by the current energy crisis, focusing everyone’s minds on how they will pay their next energy bill it is important to remember other drivers of the squeeze on household incomes.
At this time of year, if you have school-age children, that means school costs.
Whilst even here the public focus is often on the cost of a school uniform, every parent will know the costs of school transport, school meals (for those not eligible for free school meals), books, stationery and IT must be factored into any discussion of the “costs of a school day”.
Below are some helpful tips for those faced with costs they can’t avoid or afford.
School Uniform (and some school activities)
If you’re on a low income, your local education authority (LEA) might help you with some costs. For example, they might help with the cost of uniforms, computer equipment or learning a musical instrument.
You should contact your school first to see what help they can give, it will vary school to school, before contacting your local authority.
Some schools offer ‘school uniform swaps’ and other local responses.
Your child’s school can ask you to pay for some activities such as museum or theatre trips. They should tell you if it’s a voluntary payment. If you can’t afford to pay, they can’t stop your child from attending but the school can cancel the activity if they don’t get enough money to pay for it.
Again, it is important to contact your school as soon as you think there might be a problem. Every school is facing hardship but every school is also expected to understand and try to address and reduce the “costs of a school day”.
Free School Meals
You can apply for free school meals if either:
- you get certain means-tested benefits such as Universal Credit, or even if
- you’re not allowed to claim benefits because of your immigration status – check if your immigration status lets you claim benefits
If you get Universal Credit
You can apply for free school meals if you either:
- started your claim for Universal Credit before 1 April 2018
- earn less than £7,400 a year net, not including benefits.
You’ll remain eligible for free school meals until 31 March 2023, even if your earnings increase or you stop getting Universal Credit. If your child is getting free school meals on 31 March 2022, they’ll keep getting them until they finish their stage of education, for example primary or secondary.
If you get other benefits
You can apply for free school meals if you get any of these benefits:
- Child Tax Credit – you can’t apply for free meals if your yearly income is £16,190 or more before tax or you’re also entitled to Working Tax Credit
- Working Tax Credit run-on – you might get this for 4 weeks if you’re no longer eligible for Working Tax Credit
- Income Support
- income-based Jobseeker’s Allowance
- income-related Employment and Support Allowance
- Guarantee Credit (part of Pension Credit)
You can apply for free school meals on GOV.UK.
Your child will automatically get free school meals if they’re in reception class or year 1 or 2.
Even if your child gets free meals, you should tell your local council if you’re on a low income and get benefits. You might be able to get other help with school costs – and your child’s school might get extra money.
If you’re not allowed to claim benefits because of your immigration status
You might still be able to apply for free school meals – it depends on your family’s total annual income after tax. Contact your school or local authority for further information.
School Transport
If your child is aged 5 to 16, your local education authority (LEA) might help with free or lower cost transport if you don’t live near school or your child’s unable to walk there.
If your child is older and in a sixth form or is an apprentice, what help they can get depends on where you live. You can find out more about free transport for people over 16 in full-time education or training on GOV.UK.
You’ll need to apply to your LEA.
If there’s a school nearby that your child could get to more easily, your local education authority doesn’t have to pay for travel to and from their school.
If you think your child should get free travel but your local education authority refuses, you can appeal.
You can find out more about appealing on the Child Law Advice website.
Your child can’t walk to school
If your child can’t walk to school because of their special educational needs or disabilities (SEND), they should be entitled to free school transport.
You might also get help if your child can’t walk to school because it’s dangerous – for example, because they need to cross major roads.
You don’t live near the school
If you’re on a low income, your child might get free travel if they go to:
- a primary school more than 2 miles away
- a secondary school between 2 and 15 miles away
If you’re not on a low income, your child might get free travel if they’re:
- under 8 and their school’s more than 2 miles away
- between 8 and 16 and their school’s more than 3 miles away.
Other Help
The first port of call for help with school costs should always be the school itself, followed closely by the local authority. Every school and local authority is different in how it can help and this help can change over time.
If you are still struggling there are local and national charities that can help. One useful tool to find out more about relevant charities is provided by Turn2Us and be accessed at https://www.turn2us.org.uk/Your-Situation/Back-to-School-support .
In Coventry there is specific help to access suitable clothing, including school uniform , via a charity called ‘Clothing Coventry’. This can be reached via https://clothingcoventry.org/ .
If you have a child with additional or special needs, you might want to check out the Family Fund. The Family Fund is the UK’s largest charity providing grants for families raising disabled or seriously ill children and young people. They can be found at https://www.familyfund.org.uk/ .
For more detailed information contact your local Citizens Advice office or visit their national website at: https://www.citizensadvice.org.uk/family/education/help-with-school-costs/ .
Or contact your local council.
Remember, if you are facing financial difficulties in relation to your child’s schooling please ask for help; and always contact your school first to see what they can offer.
…and finally, Coventry Citizens Advice share a survey on school costs each year at this time. It only takes 2 minutes to complete. Please click on the link below and let us know the scale of the problem parents are facing. Only with this information can we start a conversation with local decision-makers and influencers to reduce the costs of a school day. Thank you.
The link is: https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/ZRBXKWM
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Notes.
- For further information on the work of Coventry Citizens Advice visit our website at coventrycitizensadvice.org.uk .
- To discuss the issue of school costs in more detail – either to describe your experience or to offer help to effect change – contact Ed Hodson at ehodson@coventrycab.org.uk .
- Coventry Citizens Advice is a local charity providing free, impartial, independent and confidential advice to those who need it most.
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