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Recovering debt from parents: what to do

Use our step-by-step guide to find out how to proceed if a parent/carer hasn't paid fees for things like school meals or trips. Download our template letters or use our AI assistant to create reminder letters and warn parents/carers when debts aren't being paid.

Last reviewed on 11 July 2025See updates
School types: All•School phases: All•Ref: 6629
Contents
  1. Set out your expectations in a policy 
  2. Contact the parent/carer to discuss repayment 
  3. If appropriate, consider introducing sanctions
  4. If appropriate, consider writing off debt
  5. Next steps you can take

You'll need to be sensitive to personal circumstances when you communicate with parents/carers about debt recovery, as some families may be finding it difficult to pay for school lunches, trips and other costs with the rising cost of living. However, it's still important that you're clear, so everyone knows where they stand. Find help with writing letters to parents/carers further down this page.

Set out your expectations in a policy 

Consider having a debt recovery policy in place so you have a clear procedure to follow when recovering debt from parents/carers. If you're a maintained school or in a multi-academy trust, your local authority (LA) or trust might provide their own policy for you to follow.

Always follow any recovery process set out in your policy, but if