SVP warning on back-to-school costs

The Society of St Vincent de Paul (SVP) today warned it had seen a major increase in the number of people seeking help with costs of sending children back to school.

According to Stuart Kenny, spokesman for the organisation, statistics from its Dublin regional head office showed 11,622 people contacted that office between January and July this year, compared to 8,418 for the same period the previous year, an increase of some 40 per cent.

Of those calling this year, over 60 per cent were families with children, and 22 per cent (2,500 people) were first-time callers, which was an "alarming" figure, Mr Kenny said. A total of 57 per cent of this year's calls were deemed as urgent.

According to Mr Kenny, the Dublin office had seen a substantial rise in callers seeking help to pay the costs of school books and uniforms, and that anecdotal evidence from the charity's offices in elsewhere in the State supported this trend.

Mr Kenny noted that the charity was fielding calls from people it had not heard from since 1999. He said the society started to see the start of a increase in those seeking assistance from last Autumn, and warned that increasing unemployment would exacerbate the problem.

The SVP spent slightly over €3 million on educated-related assistance last year, but Mr Kenny forecast the organisation would spend around €3.5 million on school-related aid this year.

He added that the SVP was also calling for a "significant increase" in the Back to School Clothing and Footwear Allowance.

Currently, parents can obtain €200 for each child eligible between the age of two and 11, and €305 for each eligible child between the age of 12 and 22.

But Mr Kenny said that research carried out by children's charity Barnardos found that €375 and €405 was required to fund basic costs of sending children back to school.

He pointed out that, apart from having to pay for uniforms and books, parents sending children back to school had to pay for other expenses such as compulsory gym footwear, photocopying and stationery costs, and voluntary contributions to the school.

Earlier this month, Barnardos called on the Government to make the income thresholds set for the Back to School allowance the same as those applicable to Family Income Supplement and for the same limits to apply to all households – those headed by two parents and lone parent families.

The Back to School Clothing and Footwear Allowance is available to parents of families who receive a social welfare payment, a Health Service Executive payment, family income supplement or who take part in approved employment or training schemes.

The Department of Social and Family Affairs has allocated €46 million to meet back-to-school costs, and It is expected that up to 190,000 primary and post primary pupils will benefit from the scheme this year.