Despite careful budgeting, many families find it difficult to meet the everyday costs of raising a family.
As a partner with Perennial, the UK’s only charity dedicated to helping people who work in ground care and horticulture, we’re pleased to spread the word about the help they can give you and your teams as parents …
With over 30% of children living in poverty and the impact of COVID-19, many families are currently unable to afford the essentials. A recent report by The Children’s Society shows the average cost per year, per child for secondary school uniform is £337 and £315 for primary. Many people simply can’t afford a new uniform and for those forced to purchase uniform from specific suppliers, the costs can result in debt or the family going without other essentials.
Help is available for families through government support including free school meals, school uniform and financial assistance, but many parents are not aware that they may be eligible or how to access it. The professional and friendly team at Perennial can help families access government support and financial assistance, where at least one parent or carer works in horticulture - that includes ground care, lawn care, tree work and gardening. Parents are encouraged to act now to ensure that they don’t miss out by calling the Perennial helpline on 0800 093 8543 or visiting their perennial.org.uk/SupportForFamilies to find out more about how they can meet the costs of a child’s schooling and plan ahead for the future.
Many hard-working families working in horticulture are finding themselves in difficult financial circumstances. Almost three-quarters of children in poverty come from families where at least one adult is working and of those with self-employed parents, 15% of children are living below the breadline.
Covid-19 has exasperated an already critical situation. According to a report by The Children’s Society, the income of low earners is being affected the most by the pandemic, which, along with school closures, has had a devastating effect on children living in poverty.
PERENNIAL HELPS WITH SUPPORT FOR FAMILIES
Last year Martin, a parent of two children, found himself in financial difficulty and life got even harder following a close family bereavement. Experiencing anxiety and unable to see a way forward, Martin found Perennial. He reached out for help and was offered support for his family so that they could buy much-needed school uniform for their eldest child:
We were blown away by the support we received from Perennial – the charity has been our lifeline. They made sure we were getting the right benefits, gave us advice on how to deal with our debt and helped create a budget so we could take control of our money and work towards a more stable future.”
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