The Missing Chapter
The cost of school can’t become a ‘missing chapter’ in the government’s poverty strategy
Parent poverty needs to be recognised when we put together plans for reducing poverty overall.
School is not free and represents, on average, between a fifth and a quarter of the disposable income for parents in poverty. This means that, if school were free for these parents, it would be the equivalent of increasing household budgets for the poorest families by a fifth or more.
Supported by the National Education Union (NEU), the country’s largest education union, we are calling on the government to set ambitions to reduce the cost of school with clear, measurable targets. We mustn’t overlook the cost of school as a major issue, and the recommendations set out in this crucial report would support parents and children by removing some of the biggest barriers to education for families living in poverty.
Read the full report
