Respond to our Irish Independent contribution form on school costs below

Partaking in ‘No Spend September’ is wishful thinking for most, but particularly for families who are sending children back to school this autumn.

From mid-August, many parents and guardians are having to dig deep in order to cover the cost of crested uniforms, shirts, jackets, shoes, stationary, among other expenses.

In some settings, parents are asked to make a donation, or sometimes pay a fee which will cover supplies that the child may need during the school year which are sourced internally.

This is just a tip of the back-to-school iceberg, with childcare, extra-curricular activities and for many, school transport fees, all contributing an extremely stressful period for many families, particularly for those on lower incomes who may not been able to set aside money to meet these expenses, earlier in the year.

The 2026 Barnardos Back to School Survey highlighted the high levels of financial anxiety experienced by families at this time of year, with one anonymous participant having to decide “between paying household bills or covering school costs”.

The survey which was carried out in July, received 704 responses from parents of both primary and secondary school children.

Now the Irish Independent is interested in hearing about the experiences of parents who are being asked to pay volulntary contributions or other additional costs as the new school year begins.

Schools often argue that additional contributions are necessary to provide the best education possible, as well as additional activities for pupils. However, others argue that it copperfastens inequality between schools in affluent and disadvantaged areas.

School is well and truly back now for the vast majority, and so are the costs. From uniforms to stationery and everything else. The Irish Independent would like to hear from parents who have also been asked for a voluntary contribution fee this year. Tell us what is the cost, is it more or less than previous years? Is it a specific amount? Are there additional costs or charges that you are asked to pay and to what extent are they voluntary?

The Barnardos report is based on an online survey of parents about back to school costs.

Some 70pc of those who responded they were somewhat or very worried about meeting the cost of uniforms this year, with 57pc of secondary school parents voiced their concerns over having to pay for digital devices, at an average of €447.

Parents who are not eligible for the back to school allowance were dissatisfied, with one parent of four school-going children fearing that not all of her children will have the same educational experience as a result of this.

The children’s charity has called on Government to make affordable uniform options mandatory, expand eligibility for the back to school allowance, and to introduce a voluntary contributions code of practice.

Research commissioned by the Irish League of Credit Unions told that one in four parents expect to have to borrow money to fund the back to school costs.

The survey which was conducted in June and received responses from 752 parents, found that the average amount borrowed has risen to €430 – up €54 on last year.

School costs are weighing heavily on families, according to the survey. It found that 59pc of parents say covering back-to-school costs is a financial burden.

The findings also show that 81pc of parents said their child’s school asks for a “voluntary” contribution, up from 78pc last year.