Overview
- New surveys from U.S. and U.K. research show roughly six in 10 parents begin the school year with school-related debt and many will add to it.
- Nearly half of parents say they plan to spend $1,000 or more per child this fall and another large share expect to spend $500–$999 despite existing balances.
- Use of financing has risen compared with three years ago with common methods including credit-card balances, buy-now-pay-later plans and personal/payday loans.
- Some parents report extreme coping tactics such as pawning or selling possessions and even gambling to raise money while families cut essentials, delay bills or cancel activities.
- Regional data highlight drivers and effects: branded uniform mandates and tech costs lift bills in Northern Ireland where average yearly costs were estimated at about £1,363 for primary pupils and £2,029 for secondary pupils, and credit unions advise early planning or low-cost borrowing options.