Parents urged to budget for back-to-school expenses

The Money Advice and Budgeting Service (MABS) is warning parents not to borrow from money lenders to fund their children's return to school.

The Department of Social Protection is currently dealing with a backlog of applications for the Back to School Clothing and Footwear allowance, which could take weeks to process.

MABS says parents should come up with a plan to deal with the delay - one that does not involve borrowing from money lenders.

Spokesperson Michael Culloty said some schools have book rental schemes available, and parents should try to come up with a budget.

"They need to sit down and look at their own budgets to see if they can, in the medium term, fund what they require, given that hopefully the money from the Back to School Clothing and Footwear allowance will arrive within a few weeks," he said.