Concern Suffolk families will struggle with uniform costs this year
It's as cost of living hits home and inflation continues to break records
There are concerns parents in Suffolk could face making tough decisions to be able to afford school uniform for the new term.
With the cost of living crisis hitting home and inflation continuing to break records, one charity says it's seen some Mum's and Dad's skipping meals so they can fork out for new uniform for kids.
We spoke to Alison Grant, family support manager at Home Start Suffolk.
She told us they had seen an increase in the amount of people needing financial help and what resources are available: "As an organization, Home Start doesn't actually provide any financial help, but what we're very good at doing is sign posting families to organizations that possibly have got pots of funding and or able to support families.
"So we've got various grant givers that we may make referrals to for families, and we may make some applications and to places like churches.
"There's actually a government website and if you look at gov.uk education hub, and there's also a helpline number as well.
"That takes you to a place where you can put your postcode and that takes you to a link of your local authority.
"And from there you can click on and and see what help is available on a local level."
She said there's tailored support for people in Suffolk for things like school lunches, and also help with uniform costs.
Alison said there are other things being done to try and help as well, with the Government encouraging certain changes: "And now they're really encouraging schools to just say if you've got a red cardigan or blue cardigan, whatever it is. So that it's more accessible to families.
"And those items are available at maybe all kind of High Street supermarkets.
"At Tesco's Aldi, Lidl and Morrisons, Asda, they've all got their school uniform available.
Alison, wants parents and carers to be aware of the support available to them and not hesitate to ask: "We'd be encouraging families to speak to the school that the child is going to be attending.
"Because they have Facebook sites and pop up shops and exchanges and shops and second hand shops that you can use when you're trying to get school uniform.
"I think my advice would be for any parent that's, worried, or is challenged right now with kind of getting that uniform together is, seek help as soon as you can.
"It's about not being afraid to have those conversations with class teacher, the head teacher.
"The Board of Governors within a local authority primary school is also there to help and support parents, and they will, as a governing body, look at making reasonable adaptations and to policy and procedure within schools.
"I would say to all parents and carers, please don't be afraid and that they're not alone.
"There are lots and lots of people out there that who are really, really struggling right now.
"Don't leave it until the last minute. Really, really try and kind of get out there and be proactive and see what there is available.
"And maybe buy an item or two every week and that that will help, but don't leave it until the last minute because that will be when things run out and you end up having to go to more expensive shops."
Increase in people needing help
We asked Alison if Home start had seen an increase in the amount of people coming to them for help: "Yeah, we're having lots of referrals coming through and for parents where finance is a really big part of the issues that they're experiencing.
"And whether that's, requests for things like food parcels helping to pay with essential bills, particularly fuel right now.
"And we've got lots of families that are not able to access things because of things like cost of fuel in cars.
"So to make journeys to things like supermarkets or whatever can be really, really difficult.
"We've had parents telling us, they've had to withdraw their children or take them away from after school activities because they haven't got the money to pay for those things that they would like to to fund for their children, when they've got essential things that take priority.
"So it's very difficult, right now, families having to make difficult choices.
"I even heard a parent say relatively recently that to buy uniform, they weren't going to pay their rent that month.
"Which has huge consequences for families. When you start either putting money on credit cards or going to loan organizations that charge huge interest rates.
"That's a really, really difficult cycle to get into. It's very difficult to break.
"Organizations like CAB would have are really, really good to get advice.
"And I've had to manage money and I'd say for any family that are experiencing problems with paying bills, the really, really important thing is, is not close your eyes, not to hide from it.
"And most energy providers, as long as you are acknowledging your difficulties and you put together with them a payment plan, they're very happy to work with you."