School uniform grants

SCHOOL UNIFORM GRANTS WHO CAN CLAIM THEM

School uniform grants could help alleviate financial pressure on household budgets as the cost of everything from energy bills to food costs continues to soar.

Back to school purchases can be expensive, with the average cost of compulsory secondary school uniform and sportswear items coming in at £101.19 per pupil, according to The School Wear Association. But applying for a school uniform grant could be one way to save money on back to school costs(opens in new tab) and keep your bank balance a little healthier.

WHAT ARE SCHOOL UNIFORM GRANTS?

School uniform grants are an amount of money you can get from your local council, if you are on a low income, to put towards the cost of school uniforms and PE kits.

However, there is no requirement for local authorities in England to offer school uniform grants, so whether you’ll be able to get one will depend on your local council.

You can find out whether your local authority offers the grant by using the government’s handy tool on the gov.uk website. Simply enter your postcode and click through to your local authority’s website. WHO CAN GET A SCHOOL UNIFORM GRANT?

As long as your local authority offers a school uniform grant, your child will usually qualify if they are eligible for free school meals. This means you will need to be receiving at least one of the following means-tested benefits:

• Child Tax Credit(opens in new tab) • Income Support

• Income-based Jobseeker’s Allowance

• Income-related Employment and Support • Allowance(opens in new tab) • Support under Part VI of the Immigration and Asylum Act 1999 • The ‘guaranteed element’ of Pension

Credit

• Universal Credit(opens in new tab) • Working Tax Credit run-on – paid for four weeks after you stop qualifying for

Working • Tax Credit

It’s worth noting, however, that if your child goes to a private or independently run school, you won’t be eligible for the school uniform grant.

HOW MUCH COULD YOU GET WITH A GRANT?

The amount of money you’ll get with a school uniform grant - provided you qualify and your local authority offers it - will vary depending on the local authority and where you live in the UK.

In England, the maximum you can get is £150 per child, but it could be as little as £25.

• £42.90 for a primary school pupil

• £61.20 for a post primary/special school pupil under 15 years old

• £67.20 for a post primary/special school pupil over 15 years old

• £26.40 for a post primary/special school pupil

PE kit HOW DO YOU APPLY?

If you don’t qualify or cannot get a school uniform grant, the good news is there are many other ways to save money on school uniform costs.

Buying a uniform second-hand is one of the easiest ways to save money. Under new guidance from the Department for Education (DfE), schools in England must now ensure that second-hand uniforms are available. They are also advised to keep branded uniform items to a minimum and encourage parents to buy cheaper supermarket(opens in new tab) alternatives, which could save parents around £50 on average.

How do you apply for a school uniform grant? You’ll need to apply for the school uniform grant through your local council’s website. If you need help with this, the gov.uk, websites can point you in the right direction.

Deadlines to apply for a grant in England will vary depending on the council. When applying, you’ll need proof of address (such as a utility bill or council tax statement), proof of identity (a driver’s licence or passport), and proof of guardianship of your child (birth certificate or adoption papers) All the big supermarkets tend to run backto-school events during the summer months, all with various claims and money-back promises. Make sure you keep an eye out for those and look at the guarantees as well as the pricing.

It is especially worth checking out discount supermarkets like Aldi as their back-to-school events are known for bargain prices.