This Tuesday August 17 marks the payment of the Allocation Back to School (ARS).
As every year, some 3 million disadvantaged households, representing 5 million children, will benefit from this aid.
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The ARS is a social assistance subject to a ceiling of resources varying according to the number of dependent children. The amount paid depends on the age: it reaches 370.31 euros for a child aged 6 to 10, 390.74 euros for 11-14 year olds and 404.28 euros for 15-18 year olds.
Each year, the Families de France association reveals the average cost of the start of the new school year for a child entering 6th, taking into account the purchase of supplies, sporting goods and stationery.
For the start of the 2021 school year, it is up by 1.04% compared to 2020 to reach 199.34 euros.
An increase of 4.7% in five years.
“
We explain the rise by inflation.
As a reminder, the consumer price index increased by 1.2% over one year, according to the latest INSEE survey in July.
“, Highlights the association.
The cost decreases on the e-commerce side
This cost is increasing in all physical distribution channels. Hypermarkets remain the cheapest to buy all the supplies with an average of 192.05 euros compared to 224.68 euros in specialized stores. A difference that pushes some parents to choose their place of purchase. Stéphanie, mother of 7-year-old twins, preferred to do her shopping at her vacation spot: “
Living in the Paris region, I chose to do my shopping in a hypermarket in Brest to make it cheaper.
“The only niche where the amount of spending decreases is that of e-commerce with a drop of 1.79% compared to 2020 to reach 204.11 euros. Overall, sporting goods represent 24% of expenses, stationery 25%, and supplies 51%.
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According to figures published by the Familles de France association, the ARS therefore covers the cost of a start to school in 6th year. However, the needs vary greatly between entry to primary and high school. The association therefore proposes "
a better distribution of amounts to better understand the progressivity of the cost of schooling (the fact that expenses increase with progress in the school curriculum)
". This observation is also found on the parents' side. “
I don't find it very logical to give almost as much for a child in elementary school as in high school. For my daughter who is entering fourth grade, I only spent around thirty euros. The rest will allow me to pay for his sporting activity of the year
», Highlights Vanessa, living near Bordeaux. This year, a Pass'Sport allowance of 50 euros will also be paid to ARS beneficiaries.
