Nationwide Media Centre

• Parents could expect to spend more than £15,500 on a child's school years from reception to GCSE, with school clubs accounting for the biggest share of the bill, according to new Nationwide research.
• Back-to-school costs are squeezing budgets, with 49% stressed and families cutting back
• Nearly a quarter use clubs for childcare, with 22% of parents relying on them to cover childcare gaps
• Families confess kids have lost or worn out around 325 items during their time at school
• Nationwide and Finder launch new back to school calculator to find out how clubs, uniform and trips costs compare and money personalities– https://www.finder.com/uk/budgeting/cost-of-the-school-year
• Jordan Banjo talks about the value of clubs to him growing up
• Finder’s parent consumer expert Kate Steere shares her experience and tips on kids clubs

• Free credit score service provides easy access to customers’ credit information.
• Forms part of wider commitment to improving financial confidence and wellbeing.
• FCA research finds that 39% of people who checked their credit report or score say they understood it very well.
• Around one in ten (9%) don’t understand it very well or at all.

• Towns across the UK are being invited to enter the 'Let's Celebrate Towns' competition, the UK wide showcase delivered by Visa in partnership with Nationwide, now in its fourth year.
• Winning towns will each receive a £20,000 grant towards community-led projects or new initiatives that give small businesses a boost.
• This year, towns can enter across five categories: High Street Revival, Backing Local Business, Protecting Valued Places, Connected Places and Community Pride.
• The launch comes amid a renewed national focus on local pride, as the Government invests up to £5.8 billion in nearly 300 communities through its Pride in Place Programme, an ambition Let's Celebrate Towns shares by helping the best local ideas spread across the country.
• Entries will be judged by an independent panel spanning business and industry bodies, with winners announced at an awards ceremony in Parliament on 14th December 2026.

• Money mistakes dominate students’ biggest regrets, Nationwide FlexStudent research reveals
• Noise, stolen food and mess spark the most house-share fallouts
• Students spend up to £300 a week on food & drink; mini fridges, air-fryers and microwaves top shopping lists
• Nationwide’s FlexStudent offers £100 cash, £120 Just Eat vouchers; interest-free, fee-free overdrafts up to £3k and commission-free purchases & withdrawals abroad, plus new limited-edition card designs[1]
• Student case studies available:
  • o Second-year Nottingham student Erin (saved money with Oasis ticket 'hack', selling on Vinted and Just Eat ‘floor picnics’ with friends)
  • o Glasgow graduate Georgina (whose laptop broke first term and who started part-time work sooner than planned to cover socialising)