For years the Workers Party has been highlighting the plight of parents, particularly those from working class families, in providing for their children returning to school for the new school year. It will be no surprise to readers of this website that the latest Irish League of Credit Unions report shows school costs are weighing heavily on families across Northern Ireland, with 71% of parents saying covering back to school costs is a financial burden. Two in five parents have gone into debt to cover expenses. These are shocking statistics.

In addition to having to cope with price rises in basic items, demands from school cost parents £1300 across the school year for primary school children and over £2000 for those in secondary school. These demands are overwhelming for low-income families who are already struggling to make ends meet. Going back to school is becoming a nightmare for parents trying to provide uniforms, lunches, day trips and other expenses.

In fact, low-income parents experience an unending money trap. During the summer holidays, some of the support provided in schools is withdrawn. In a recent UK-wide survey by the Children’s Society around two-thirds of parents (65%) said they worry about the cost of food during the holidays and 77% worry about the cost of activities. Northern Ireland is no different. Research from Save the Children shows that 44% of NI parents struggle to afford trips/ days out for their children and a quarter of families (26%) save all year just to be able to afford summer activities for their kids.

The return to school may be a blessing in some ways to parents on low incomes but the money trap just takes on a new form. No parent wants to see their children left out of school events, but this means many parents skip meals to provide for these school extras. (See the graphic below for shocking data on food poverty in Northern Ireland.)

The Workers Party has supported the call for universal free school meals as a small step in dealing with poverty but really what is immediately needed is the introduction of the promised Anti-poverty Strategy and the Good jobs Bill as the initial starting points in dealing with poverty, areas of multiple deprivations, and the massive inequality suffered by working-class people.