As the cost of 'back to school' is revealed once again, Julian Stanley asks if teachers are also feeling the financial strain at this time of year.

It is September, which means two things: a new school year and the annual debate on how much going 'back to school' costs. A new study by the charity Family Action has revealed that for some families the basic costs of preparing for the start of term accounted for up to 40 per cent of their monthly income. The charity warns that its grant department receives requests from disadvantaged families to help with the cost of uniforms, which the study reveals could account for up to two-fifths of a family's income in August.

Yet, is it just families who feel the financial pressure at this time of year? What about teachers? With the recession, budget cuts and changes to public sector pensions the focus of the headlines, is money another of the many concerns facing the profession as they head back to the classroom?

Even a cursory glance of Teacher Support Network's service use statistics would suggest that this time of year is difficult for teachers too. While for most months of the year, work and career are the primary issues for callers to the charity, in August, calls relating to money and finance far outnumber calls on other issues.

Last month, money and finance were the primary issues for 37.5 per cent of calls, compared to the next most common topic: work and career, which made up just 21 per cent of calls. One month previously, in July, these figures were almost inverted with 34.7 per cent of callers stating work and career as their primary issues for calling, compared to 27.8 per cent looking for money or financial advice. Likewise in 2010, money and finance were the top issues in August, yet money and career were top for most other months of the year.

The actions taken on these calls over this period also suggest that money is tight for some teachers. Last month, the majority of callers (27.5 per cent) were directed to our grant services, compared to the previous month where most callers (31.6 per cent) were coached.

What these statistics don't tell us, however, is why teachers seem to need extra support before they head back to school. A study of some of the reasons why teachers apply for grants may help us understand. Of the emergency grants that we issued last month, most were given out as priority payments for rent, mortgage or utility payments. Other reasons included repairs, essential expenses and even bankruptcy fees.

We also know from the letters, emails and calls that we receive from the people that we have helped that these payments are a lifeline for those usually facing challenging, and often tragic, circumstances, but emergency payments are not the solution.

The important thing is that teachers know what to do when they find themselves in financial difficulty. Here are some golden rules to help you manage your debt:

• Stop borrowing
• Don't try to ignore debts. Get in touch with your creditors straight away and explain your difficulties
• Tackle priority debts first i.e. rent, mortgage etc.
• Work out reasonable offers to pay creditors.
• Always keep copies of letters you send and receive, as well as any budgets or financial statements
• Know your rights

To help you, Teacher Support Network has a launched a brand new money factsheet dedicated to advice on budgeting and debt management, and continues to offer money advice through its Support Lines: 08000 563 561 (England) or 08000 855 088 (Wales).

You can win £5,000 by entering the Teacher Support Network Summer Raffle. Click here to find out more.