The start of a new school year can be really expensive. Check out these ideas on cutting the costs:
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If your income is under £16,190, you may qualify for free school meals. Find out if you’re eligible here
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Contact your local School Admissions team to see if they can help with the cost of school trips and school uniform
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Visit the NHS website for cheap and tasty lunchbox ideas
- On average, children’s feet grow a full size every 8 months. Measure your child’s feet in millimetres and convert that into a shoe size using Clark's website. Bargain shoes can be found at supermarkets and on discount shoe sites like Shoes for Kids.
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Everything that can get lost will get lost! Buying name tags means you (hopefully) won't have to buy things more than once
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If you’re a Tesco shopper, you can get a great deal on back to school essentials using their Clubcard Boost offer. The offer lets you double the value of your Clubcard vouchers, so for every £5 you have, you get £10 back. Click here to see how it works
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Take it away is an Arts Council Programme that offers interest-free loans to cover the cost of getting your child (or yourself if you're under 25) a musical instrument. Click here for more information
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Childcare vouchers is a Government scheme that allows you to pay for childcare out of your pre-tax salary, potentially cutting childcare costs by hundreds of pounds. You’ll receive the vouchers via your employer, so you must be in employment to take advantage of this. Click here to see if you'll be better off using the scheme.
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Free early year’s childcare. The Government will pay for 15 hours of childcare a week for all children aged three and four, and for some aged two. For more information click here.