As the lazy days of summer come to an end, parents across the UK are gearing up for the annual back to school rush.
What was once a simple trip to buy a couple of pieces of uniform, a few notebooks and pencils has turned into a full fledged shopping frenzy, with parents shelling out over £300 on back-to-school essentials.
Looking at popular back-to-school retailers such as supermarkets and high street stores, as well as specialist school-branded outlets, Creditfix has revealed the average costs of back-to-school items like uniforms, shoes, stationary and PE kits.
This comes at a time when the average debt levels of parents with children under 18 across the UK currently stand at over £17,000. Compounded with high levels of inflation, families all over the country are feeling the strain of paying for basic necessities and bills.
Uniforms cost £181 on average
Our data highlights that the cost of school uniforms alone averages up to £181 depending on age and gender.
Outside of the basic uniform costs, other necessities such as a school bag, lunch box, water bottle and a full school-branded PE kit increases the total costs by more than £120.
Parents of boys going into reception and Year 1 and 2 can expect uniform costs of £82.40, whereas parents of girls going into reception and Year 1 and 2 can spend £89.
On the other end of the spectrum, the average cost of uniforms for children going into Year 10 and 11 averages at £179.13 for boys and £184.33 for girls.
Average back-to-school costs breakdown by gender and school year (August 2023)
| Gender and Age | Average Uniform costs | Average back-to-school costs |
| Boys going into Reception, Year 1 or Year 2 | £82.40 | £206.17 |
| Girls going into Reception, Year 1 or Year 2 | £89.00 | £212.77 |
| Boys going into Year 3-6 | £110.19 | £233.96 |
| Girls going into Year 3-6 | £110.80 | £234.57 |
| Boys going into Year 7-9 | £169.21 | £292.98 |
| Girls going into Year 7-9 | £181.13 | £304.90 |
| Boys going into Year 10-11 | £179.13 | £302.90 |
| Girls going into Year 10-11 | £184.33 | £308.10 |
Average back-to-school costs of non-uniform essentials (August 2023)
| Item | Average cost |
| Pencils | £3.63 |
| Pens | £2.49 |
| Pencil case | £4.83 |
| Maths set | £4.08 |
| Scientific calculator | £10.03 |
| School bag | £13.15 |
| Lunch box | £7.65 |
| Water bottle | £5.90 |
| Name tag | £8.38 |
Average cost of PE kits (August 2023)
| Item | Average cost |
| Unisex school-branded PE shirt (x2) | £27.99 |
| Unisex school-branded PE shorts (x2) | £17.56 |
| PE pumps | £5.60 |
| Sports socks | £6.08 |
| PE bag | £6.40 |
Stationary including a pack of pens, pack of pencils, a pencil case, maths set and scientific calculator will be setting parents back an average of £25.
Commenting on the findings, Layla Johnson, regional manager at Creditfix, said: “With an extra £300 added to their August or September monthly costs, parents are doing as much as they can to set money aside for these essentials, as well as finding budget-friendly fun things to do over the summer, but with all the other costs rising, they are at risk of being pushed into further into financial trouble.
“We urge parents facing difficulties to pay their bills to take proactive steps and seek support. Many people are also amazed by how relieved they feel after taking those first steps to address the challenge – never underestimate the power of talking and sharing your problems.”
Tackling debt can seem daunting, especially if you feel unsure where to start to clear your debts. An Individual Voluntary Arrangement (IVA), Debt Relief Order (DRO) or debt management plan could help you to pay off your debts with a monthly repayment plan that suits your financial circumstances.
Methodology
Analysing a range of back-to-school retailers, Creditfix has highlighted the average costs of essential uniform items, taking into account the amount a child will go through in a school year.
To determine the cost of children going into a specific school year, the data has been broken down into age and gender.
Included in the data set is:
- Four of each essential item including shirts, trousers, skirts and pinafore dresses
- Two school-branded items include blazers, polo shirts and one tie
- Average cost of two pairs of shoes from 5 UK retailers
