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CHARITY
OFFERS HELP TO EASE BACK-TO-SCHOOL FINANCIAL PAIN
AS parents prepare for
back-to-school expenses, and new research reveals the minimum cost
of raising a child has risen 4% in the last year, the charity
Turn2us is urging families to check their eligibility for financial
support.
August is a particularly expensive time for parents, with
back-to-school costs placing huge pressure on a family's income.
Turn2us own research has previously found that these costs are a
major strain for many struggling families, with 1 in 3 parents
surveyed concerned about how they would meet the costs. The results
also found that less than 1% of parents had approached a charity for
support to help with these mounting costs. This echoes a recent
report by Family Action which estimates that back-to-school costs
could eat into two-fifths of Augusts' income for families on the
poverty line.
Turn2us is encouraging anyone who is worried about their situation
to access the free and easy to use tools on their website to see what welfare benefits or
charitable grants they may be able to receive, and to find further
information about the help available for families in financial need.
Alison Taylor, Director of Turn2us said:- "With continued
public spending cuts, low wages and rising prices, more and more
families are struggling to pay for essential items and face tough
decisions about how to prioritise their finances. It's more
important than ever that they are aware of what support is available
which could help pay for the things they vitally need."
Over 3 million people a year used
turn2us.org.uk to access the information and
support they need. In the last year alone, Turn2us helped over
40,000 people secure in total £150 million in benefits and
charitable grants.
For exhample; when mother of four Tina separated from her husband, she found
herself struggling with everyday living costs, despite working
full-time. She started covering bills with her credit cards but knew
this was not a long-term solution so decided to find some extra
help.
When Turn2us was recommended to Tina by another parent, she used the
Benefits Calculator and found she was entitled to Housing Benefit
and an increase to her Child Tax Credit.
Tina said:- "The extra money I managed to claim has made me
feel more independent. It's made a difference as it's helped me to
pay for my children's school uniforms and dinners, and travel to and
from their after-school clubs; which I wouldn't otherwise be able
to afford. Before I checked, I was unsure about what I might be
entitled to and the system can be complicated, so I'd recommend
Turn2us to anyone in a similar situation." |
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UK DRIVERS WASTE
£10 MILLION RETRIEVING FORGOTTEN ITEMS
NEW research into driver
behaviour has identified just how far day-trippers are prepared to go
in order to fetch an item left behind when travelling in the UK this
summer.
The findings from Halfords Autocentres highlight a shocking amount
of waste, with over 6 million drivers being prepared to travel over
ten miles - equivalent to in 1.7 million gallons of wasted fuel
worth approximately £10.6 million.
However, 13% of drivers admitted to being willing to travel over 15
miles to retrieve something they had forgotten, which means the true
figure could be significantly higher.
Rory Carlin from Halfords Autocentres said:- "The rising cost
of fuel and fact that cars are less efficient at the beginning of a
journey before the engine has reached operating temperature means
that the nation's forgetfulness is hitting them hard in the pocket.
Interestingly some regions were more likely to travel further than
others. Drivers from Scotland for example – normally renowned for
their thrift – top the table, whilst motorists from Wales and
Northern Ireland are far less likely to waste time and money
fetching something they have forgotten." 31.4% of men are willing to travel over 10 miles for a forgotten
item, compared with 21.6% of women. This may be explained by
the fact that 84% of women said that they take the lead when packing
bags, making it less likely they will forget something. Whilst men
are largely responsible for packing the car (86%), which may lead
them to assume someone else has packed a particular item.
Leading psychologist Dr Geoff Rolls commented:- "Clearly the
importance of the forgotten item will play a factor; most people
would not return any great distance for a forgotten sweater but a
wallet or the key to a roof box is likely to cause a costly delay
that could spoil the day. That said, with saving money and
conserving fuel high on motorists list of priorities it is
surprising how little importance people attach to waste."
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