Confusion over differing retail requirements.

 

The NSW Premier’s back-to-school voucher initiative has created a degree of confusion with some parents who have found not all retailers are in sync with the program.

 

Eligible parents receive $150 in vouchers towards the cost of school supplies. The scheme was announced last year in a bid to help with growing cost-of-living pressures.

 

However, finding where and what to spend the vouchers on has left many parents confused, according to Nine’s Honey Parenting website. While it seems simple enough: spend these on school supplies, at participating retailers, many parents are finding the devil is in the detail - and are sharing their frustrations online.

 

One mum, on the Big W Mums Australia Facebook group, asked why she wasn't able to use one full voucher to buy a uniform from the store.

 

Mums were quick to advise her the black bike shorts in her cart were not on the approved list, while another mum shared she'd been able to purchase socks, a rash shirt, board shorts and leggings using the voucher at a competitor.

 

Other parents shared how they hadn't realised vouchers had to be used in one transaction. 

 

"I lost $30 on school supplies at Officeworks. At the time I didn't realise I had not used all the voucher," shared one parent.

 

Some parents advised that while major retailers such as Kmart are participating, only selected stores are taking part.

 

To add to the confusion, while some businesses only accepted these in-store, other retailers, such as Big W, were only allowing these to be used for online purchases.

 

And some major retailers, like Target, were not participating at all. Most school uniform shops are also not registered and set up to use the vouchers, although some are through the Flexischools app.

 

And with the new school year fast approaching, some parents shared how great they found the scheme:

 

"We used it at Officeworks for school requirements list - just scanned my phone. Very easy."

 

According to the voucher program's website, approved items include school uniforms, shoes, bags, textbooks and stationery.

 

The vouchers can be spent up to 30 June at more than 500 stores, however much like the 'Dine and Discover' vouchers, these can only be used at registered businesses.