News from Mannin Branch Celtic League:
All parents face difficulty and increased costs over summer months not least because if working their is the problem of child care during the lengthy summer school break. Parents who are in receipt of free school meals for their child face not just the fact that this is not available in the six week window but also the added burden for working families of child care. It may mean hours have to be cut just when you need money more.
It was clear last week in Tynwald that despite years of ‘gathering data’ the current COMIN regime are no better informed than previous ones.
What we do know from a UK parliamentary report two years ago is that the average added burden on a family in the period is between £30 – 40 pounds. Obviously this disproportionately impacts those on low incomes.
Bernard Moffatt
