A third of parents in the West Midlands are sacrificing essentials for themselves to cover back-to-school costs.
Half of parents in the region are worried about the price of school uniform, with more than a third going without to cope with the new term’s expenses, research by Save the Children and the Baby Bank Alliance shows.
The UK Government has introduced new rules on uniforms to limit branded items, but costs remain a concern.
Government figures show it costs, on average, £440 annually for a secondary school pupil’s uniform, and £340 for primary school pupils.
Save the Children’s research found 38 per cent of parents are worried about the cost of school shoes, and 24 per cent are concerned about the price of PE kits.
The financial strain is forcing families to make hard choices.
Almost a third of parents are cutting household spending, while a similar number expect to dip into their savings.
One in five plan to work extra hours, and a quarter will spread the cost of school essentials over several months.
Baby banks, which provide school uniforms for older children, report a rise in the demand for shirts, coats, shoes, and school bags.
In 2025, baby banks distributed 84,000 pairs of shoes and 340,000 books.
Dan Paskins, executive director of UK Impact at Save the Children UK, said: “The UK Government has made a good start by limiting branded items to reduce costs, but the cost-of-living crisis is still making life hard for families.
“Save the Children is trying to help families with cash grants and support for advice for parents. Baby banks are also stepping in with vital support for older children, and we would encourage people to get in touch with their local baby bank if they need help.”
Save the Children is a founding partner of the Baby Bank Alliance, which has 250 baby banks in the UK, many providing clean, ready to wear uniforms to children in need.
