Business
School costs a ‘real struggle’ for parents in Wales
Bethan LewisFamily and education correspondent, BBC Wales News
A mum says she starts to dread the new school year from Christmas because of the cost of uniform and other kits her children will need in September.
Vicky Williams, from Caerphilly, said she gets “anxious” her children will not have everything they need and has to start budgeting months in advance.
It is estimated the minimum cost of sending a child to secondary school has reached almost £2,300 a year, up £600 since 2022, with the Child Poverty Action Group (CPAG) saying lower and middle-income families face “a real struggle”.
The Welsh government said it was doing everything it could to support families.
Ms Williams starts budgeting at the start of the year for the items her nine and 14-year-old will need.
She said: “I dread it after Christmas – I know if I don’t plan or budget I am going to be struggling August, September time.
“I’ll be getting anxious that my children aren’t going to school with the proper equipment so I’ve got to plan well in advance in order to prepare and be able to afford to buy their uniforms and everything else they need.”
She said while her daughter’s primary school uniform does not require logos, her 14-year-old son needs a separate PE kit, rugby kit and football kit.
Trips are another source of stress and even though schools help parents with payment plans, Ms Williams said sometimes there was not enough notice of upcoming expenses.
“You want your children to get involved in everything, want to go out for trips with their friends, go on a bus and have the experience and everything.
“But then when the cost of most trips are so high and it’s not doable for some, then you feel guilty then as a parent that your child is missing out.”
The part-time supermarket delivery driver also has a two-year-old and said she was already anticipating “that constant stress and anxiety on my mind that I’ll have three children in school” in two years’ time.
On the Lansbury Park estate, Caerphilly Uniform Exchange sells pre-loved and donated uniform for a minimal cost or items can be swapped for free.
Director Lisa Watkins said about 120 families a month use the Caerphilly shop.
They have other hubs in the borough, an online shop and give free bundles for children referred by schools and social services.
“Some schools have changed their uniform to make things more generic and accessible, but more work could be done definitely”, she said.
“I think that we should be treating school uniform more like workwear. It doesn’t matter if it’s got a hole or a bit of paint on it, you know, that’s kind of what it’s for.”
As well as uniform, the shop also supplies other costumes and outfits.
“Prom is a huge cost to parents at the moment. Things like World Book Day, Children in Need, Christmas Nativity, Christmas jumper days,” Ms Watkins said.
“As time progresses, we find all of these different celebrations and things to take part in but I think there’s little thought on how much it actually burdens parents financially.”
She added parents faced “absolutely huge” financial pressures, and did not want to have “the only child that isn’t going to prom, or hasn’t got the fancy dress outfit, or the new football boots.”
A report published by the CPAG in May estimated the minimum cost of education is more than £1,000 for primary school children and almost £2,300 for secondary school children, a rise of 30% on three years ago.
It said the cost of food for the school day and technology for learning were the main sources of increases for secondary school children.
“This is a really significant amount of money for families,” said Ellie Harwood, senior education policy officer for CPAG.
“It can be a real struggle for households on low and middle incomes to meet the cost and obviously the more children you have the greater the cost”.
Ms Harwood said research had suggested uniform costs had “flat-lined”, which she hoped was a “reflection in changes of school policy”.
At primary level in Wales, universal free school meals “saves families around £500 a year per child”, Ms Harwood said, but a strict means test still applied for secondary age children.
She said access to Welsh government support with the costs of school should be expanded .
“There are a lot of households living in poverty in Wales who cannot currently access free school meals or the school essentials grant,” she said.
“They can’t get help with the cost of school trips.
“We know there’s about 25,000 secondary aged learners who are living in poverty who don’t qualify for support with these grants and with free school meals.”
The Welsh government said: “We are doing everything we can to support families in Wales”.
“We continue to monitor the potential impact of inflation on the number of learners eligible for a free school meal and the School Essentials Grant.”
It said it recognised the “financial burden” of school uniform.
“Our statutory guidance on school uniform policy says that affordability should be a priority, and branded items should not be compulsory.
“We are currently reviewing the impact of the changes to the guidance”.
Thousands of young people in Scotland will benefit from skilled “clean energy jobs”, the UK Government has said, as it launched its plans to “train the next generation of energy workers”.
Energy Secretary Ed Miliband said the new plan places Scotland “at the very heart of the clean energy revolution”.
The Government said Scotland will see up to 60,000 jobs in greener energy by 2030 – a 40,000 increase from 2023.
Across the UK, it expects employment to double to 860,000 by the end of the decade, including nuclear energy.
It said 31 “priority occupations” had been identified for the switch away from fossil fuels, including plumbers, electricians and welders.
As part of the transition, the Scottish Government said on Sunday it would jointly invest £18 million with the UK Government to enable thousands of North Sea workers to access tailored support to make the change to more sustainable energy.
UK ministers said their new plans include proposals to ensure people in these jobs have “world class pay, terms and conditions”.
They said this includes closing loopholes to extend employment protections enjoyed by offshore oil and gas workers working beyond UK territorial seas.
Initiatives were also announced to encourage more veterans, ex-offenders and unemployed people into the sector.
The UK Energy Secretary said: “Communities across Scotland have long been calling out for a new generation of good industrial jobs.
“The clean energy jobs boom can answer that call – and today we publish a landmark national plan to make it happen and places Scotland at the very heart of the clean energy revolution this Government is delivering.
“Our plans will help create an economy in which there is no need to leave your home town just to find a decent job.
“Thanks to this Government’s commitment to clean energy a generation of young people in Scotland can have well-paid secure jobs, from plumbers to electricians and welders.
“This is a pro-worker, pro-jobs, pro-union agenda that will deliver the national renewal our country needs.”
Scottish Energy Secretary Gillian Martin said: “Scotland’s innovation, expertise and vast renewable energy resources will not only benefit the planet – but deliver new economic opportunities and new jobs for households and communities across the country.
“This continued and expanded funding to the Oil and Gas Transition Training Fund will support more offshore workers to take on different roles across the sustainable energy sector over the next three years – helping to deliver a fair and managed transition to the sector.
“We will continue to explore how best to support Scotland’s energy skills transition, working closely with the UK Government on options like guaranteed interview schemes, redeployment pools and skills passporting.”
Scottish Secretary Douglas Alexander added: “From offshore wind to carbon capture, Scotland is uniquely positioned to lead our clean energy revolution with world-class resources and skilled workers.
“Harnessing the potential of clean energy is an unmistakable example of how the UK Government is delivering for Scotland.
“These 40,000 new opportunities will benefit a generation of young people across Scotland and represent a pivotal moment in our mission to boost economic growth across all parts of the UK.
“This UK Government is putting money directly into the pockets of hardworking Scots.
“This comes alongside Great British Energy’s launch in Aberdeen, which is already unlocking significant investment and helping to create skilled jobs as we make Britain a clean energy superpower.”
Mumbai: India’s private banks showed contrasting trends in asset quality in Q2 FY26, with larger lenders maintaining stability while smaller players, particularly those under new leadership, reported setbacks in earnings. IndusInd Bank and Federal Bank, both navigating transitions under new MDs, did not post year-on-year growth in net profits as the chiefs accelerated clean-ups and strengthened governance.HDFC Bank, the country’s largest private lender, reported a 10.8% rise in net profit to Rs 18,640 crore, driven by a 25% jump in non-interest income and steady improvement in asset quality. MD and CEO Sashidhar Jagdishan said economic activity was improving across customer and product segments, allowing the bank to accelerate loan growth. Asset quality remained a key strength, with the bank maintaining stable ratios for net interest margin, cost-to-income, and return on assets. HDFC Bank also continued its investments in technology and innovation, including GenAI and “lighthouse experiments”, aimed at improving efficiency and customer experience over the next 18-24 months.ICICI Bank’s net profit grew 5.2% to Rs 12,359 crore despite a steep drop in treasury income. Excluding treasury, core operating profit rose 6.5%, reflecting steady underlying performance. Provisions fell 25.9%, helping gross NPAs ease to 1.58% and net NPAs to 0.39%. The lender expanded retail and business banking loans, which now account for more than half its portfolio.IndusInd Bank, under new MD and CEO Rajiv Anand, recorded a net loss of Rs 437 crore as the bank accelerated write-offs and increased provisions in microfinance to strengthen its balance sheet. The lender also continued to contend with legacy issues stemming from prior accounting irregularities. Gross NPAs improved slightly to 3.60%, while net NPAs eased to 1.04% but deposits and advances contracted, and core income fell.YES Bank reported an 18.3% rise in net profit to Rs 654 crore, supported by higher non-interest income, cost efficiency, and retail growth. Net NPAs declined to 0.3% while gross NPAs remained stable at 1.6%. The quarter marked a strategic ownership change, with Sumitomo Mitsui Banking Corporation acquiring a 24.2% stake, and the bank continued to expand its branch network and digital footprint. MD and CEO Prashant Kumar emphasised the business model and strategy remained unchanged, with efforts ongoing to improve revenues, net interest margin, and cost-to-income ratio.Federal Bank posted a 9.5% decline in net profit to Rs 955 crore due to higher provisions, even as gross NPAs fell to 1.83% and net NPAs to 0.48%. Under new MD and CEO KVS Manian, the bank focused on strengthening risk management, increasing mid-yield assets, and expanding digital transactions, which now account for over 92% of all retail and corporate activity.PNB net profit jumps 14% to ₹4904 crorePunjab National Bank reported a 14% rise in Q2 net profit to Rs 4,904 crore, with operating profit up 5.5% to Rs 7,227 crore. Total income grew 5.1%, while net interest income slipped 0.5%. Gross and net NPAs fell to 3.45% and 0.36%, respectively. Advances and deposits rose 10.1% and 10.9%. Retail, agriculture, and MSME loans drove growth. CRAR strengthened to 17.19%, digital transactions surged 31%, and full-year credit growth is expected at 11%-12%.
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Gold and silver sales alone accounted for an astonishing Rs 60,000 crore of the total trade, registering a robust 25% increase from last year’s value
Gold prices have soared by approximately 60% year-on-year, crossing the Rs 1,30,000 per 10-gram mark. (Representational image/News18)
Indian consumers defied a massive surge in prices to spend an estimated Rs 1 lakh crore on Dhanteras this year, showcasing the festival’s undiminished cultural and economic significance. According to the Confederation of All India Traders (CAIT), this massive spending spree marks a significant festive boost, with strong consumer confidence overriding high-cost pressures.
The driving force behind this record expenditure was the traditional purchase of precious metals. Gold and silver sales alone accounted for an astonishing Rs 60,000 crore of the total trade, registering a robust 25% increase from last year’s value. This surge is particularly striking given the steep rise in bullion costs: gold prices have soared by approximately 60% year-on-year, crossing the Rs 1,30,000 per 10-gram mark, while silver prices have also jumped by roughly 55%.
CAIT attributed this resilient demand to the deep-rooted Indian belief in precious metals as the most secure form of investment and an auspicious purchase on Dhanteras, the day that marks the beginning of Diwali celebrations. While volumes may have seen a slight dip, the rise in value was substantial, as many consumers opted for strategic buying—favouring lightweight jewellery, gold coins, and bullion for investment purposes to fulfill the shagun (auspicious tradition).
Beyond bullion, the festive purchasing extended across various sectors, underlining a broad economic recovery. Other major contributors to the Rs 1 lakh crore total included utensils and kitchen appliances (estimated at Rs 15,000 crore), electronic and electrical goods (Rs 10,000 crore), and vehicles, textiles, and decorative items.
The festive spending also received a further boost from the popularity of the “Vocal for Local” campaign, with consumers showing a clear preference for Indian-made products, benefiting small traders and local manufacturers across the country.
Pathikrit Sen Gupta is a Senior Associate Editor with News18.com and likes to cut a long story short. He writes sporadically on Politics, Sports, Global Affairs, Space, Entertainment, And Food. He trawls X via …Read More
Pathikrit Sen Gupta is a Senior Associate Editor with News18.com and likes to cut a long story short. He writes sporadically on Politics, Sports, Global Affairs, Space, Entertainment, And Food. He trawls X via … Read More
October 18, 2025, 22:34 IST
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