Teachers 'hit by credit crunch'

A charity gave teachers £62,000 in hardship grants

Some teachers are being hit by the ongoing credit crunch as their salaries fail to keep pace with their mortgages.

Grants to cash-strapped teachers from the Teacher Support Network charity rose 70% in the first quarter of 2008.

And more teachers struggling with their mortgages sought help from the National Association of School Masters Union of Women Teachers' benevolent fund.

The news comes as rival teaching union the National Union of Teachers gears up for a one-day strike over pay.

The Teacher Support Network gives hardship grants and loans as well as advice to teachers who are struggling.

Chief executive Patrick Nash said a lack of money was becoming a problem for a greater number of teachers.

'Juggling debts'

"More of our callers are having to seek help simply to make ends meet, showing that the national credit crunch is having a very real effect on teachers in particular.

"We're on hand to offer money management advice, grants and loans and are prepared for demand for our services - financial and otherwise - to increase rapidly as more teachers feel the effects of the economic downturn," he said.

The charity said in its quarterly report that it had awarded more than £62,000 in grants during the first three months of the year - 70% up on the previous quarter.

The report also said: "The amount per person is increasing as people try to juggle the amount they owe with credit cards and live off borrowed money."

Problems were likely to be caused by Christmas debt, the rising cost of living, rising mortgage payments - especially for those coming off fixed-rate deals - and the knock-on effect of the "credit crunch", it said.

Local NASUWT branches offer grants of up to £200 to teachers in financial difficulties.

A union spokesman said the main block of requests to the benevolent fund recently was from teachers who were struggling with their mortgages.