State education costs parents £22,000
Sending a child to state school costs upto £22,000 over the course of their academic career. The survey shows an 11% rise over the past five years, according to a report on family finances.
Annunal Aviva survey reveals school expenses add up to £1,614 for each academic year.
Annual costs for breakfast clubs, lunches, Uniforms and after-school care equate to £1,614 between ages 4 and 18.
More than half of parents questioned indicated they were willing to spend money on extra-curricular activities like school trips and music and sports lessons which, with other optional extras, could cost a further £1,268 a year. Transport averages £366 a year.
The survey found that half of parents prepare a packed lunch for their children, while a further 6% have children who prepare their own. One in three parents favour school dinners while 5% provided the money but allowed them to choose how and where they spend it.
Louise Colley of Aviva said: “The majority of children in the UK are taught through the state system, but it’s clear that this is far from ‘free’ for parents. “With even the basics adding up to more than £1,600 per child per year, this is a significant challenge, particularly for parents on lower incomes.”
Aviva said the average cost of feeding a child at school was £379 a year, while uniforms cost £108 and shoes £78. Sports kit added another £59.
