20% of parents to borrow €360 for back-to-school bill

Hard-pressed families will be forced to borrow hundreds of euros and put off paying other bills to pay for books, uniforms, and other items to send their children back to school.

One in five parents will borrow an average of €360, according to a survey, which also found one in four will dip into savings, and 12% plan to put some or all of the cost on credit cards.

Another 6% will need to borrow from a credit union or bank, but 2% are planning to go to a moneylender.