Parents in Britain say they will pay an average of £323 to cover extra costs over the course of the new school year, according to a survey by Coinstar.
Mums and dads already struggling with the back-to-school bill say the pain continues as they shell out for school trips, replacement uniforms and items for projects.
The vast majority (85%) of parents say they will be hit with extra school costs between now and the next summer holidays.
Parents in the South East pay an extra £330 during the academic year. Parents of pupils working towards their GCSEs pay up the most, with an average of £400 extra during the year.
Those with children aged between 5 and 7 say they pay an extra £380 during the year, while the least painful years are in the sixth form, when parents pay an extra £270.
45% of British parents say the cost of sending their children to school is rising all the time compared with just a quarter (26%) who believe it is staying the same.
The survey showed that parents foot the school bills by borrowing money from grandparents (27%), delaying credit card repayments (25%), going into overdraft (23%) and dipping into their children’s savings.
Nick Harris, vice president of European operations, Coinstar Limited, said:
“School shopping can put stress on household finances, especially as costs rise.
“The Coinstar survey revealed that British parents are resourceful and are finding ways to meet this budget challenge.”
