School trip payment rule you need to know as quarter can't afford them
A group of children on a school trip
A quarter of parents are finding themselves financially pressed to the point of skipping essentials in order to pay for school trips, with some even requiring financial intervention from grandparents. According to research conducted for Zurich Municipal, 23% of parents had to make sacrifices for their children's educational outings.
The solidarity within families is evident as one in 10 parents mentioned that grandparents have contributed to trip expenses, while 8% have seen support coming from a child's aunt or uncle. The study also showed children actively participating in the effort, with 12% engaging in fundraising and another 10% tapping into their own pocket money to assist with costs.
Around 20% of parents faced with monetary difficulties admitted they felt "embarrassed" about not being able to afford trips. However, despite budgetary concerns, over a third (35%) of the parents recognise the indispensable role of school trips for their child's learning.
Tilden Watson from Zurich Municipal stressed the importance of these experiences: "School trips bring a plethora of benefits to young lives - it's heartbreaking to see so many could miss out due to cost. These trips can also expose some children to new places and experiences that they wouldn't necessarily get to enjoy with their families so they really do offer a window to the world they otherwise wouldn't see."
OnePoll conducted a survey of 1,000 parents with children aged five to 16 across the UK in May. Some parents may be eligible for assistance with school-related expenses, such as meals, transport and uniforms.
Citizens Advice provides information on its website at www.citizensadvice.org.uk/family/education/help-with-school-costs. Parents are also encouraged to contact their school directly to find out what help is available.
According to Citizen's Advice: "If you're on a low income, your local council might help you with some costs. For example, they might help with the cost of uniforms, computer equipment or learning a musical instrument. Ask your local council what help they can give you."
They further state: "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."