One-off payments worth up to £225 for thousands of parents to help cover school uniform costs – can you get one?
Struggling families could get up to £225 to help out with the cost of their kids uniform when pupils return to school.
The cost of living is putting pressure on parents, with uniforms in 2023 costing an average £96.24 per child
But for those on low income, some local authorities do offer grants and support to those finding this extra costs difficult to cover.
How much you get, wll vary depending on where you live, as well as your financial circumstances.
How much can I get?
In Scotland the School Clothing Grant offers at least £120 to cover the cost of a primary school uniform, or £150 for those in secondary school.
It is funded by the national Government – but how much you get will be decided by the local authority so depending on where you live in Scotland, you may be eligible for even more.
In the Shetlands, secondary school pupils can receive up to £225 towards the cost of their uniform.
And in the Highlands you can get £172 for secondary pupils and £160 for those in primary school.
In England some local authorities may offer a School Uniform Grant, or you may be eligible for support under the Household Support Fund
Am I eligible?
Eligibilty criteria will vary between local councils – but you can typically apply for any available support if you receive one of the following
- Universal Credit
- Income Support
- Income based Job Seekers allowance
- Child tax credit
- Support under the Immigration and Asylum Act
Some local authorities will also accept applications from those receiving housing benefits or a council tax reduction
Deadlines
If you are keen to apply, then you’ll need to contact your local authority directly
Most local authorities accept applications from July until the end of March the following year – so if you’re currently needing support for September, you’ll likely still have time to make an applications.
But if you do need help for the new term, contact your local authority straight away as different local areas have different deadlines.
EXTRA HELP WITH SCHOOL UNIFORM COSTS
IF you can't get targeted help from your council, you might have some other options available to you.
In some areas, you can talk directly to your school, which might be able to offer you clothing.
Or, you might be able to get cheap garments from low-budget shops or charity stores.
Some charities offer help to families in need too.
But bear in mind charities often have a limited amount of money to give and usually have specific criteria which must be met in order to get a grant.
Charity Turn2Us has a free grants search tool on its website which you can use to find out what help is available to you.
Meanwhile, you can always try approaching your nearest Citizens’ Advice branch.
If you don’t know where your nearest Citizens’ Advice branch is, you can find out by visiting www.citizensadvice.org.uk/about-us/contact-us/nearby/.
If you’re not eligible for a school uniform grant you might be able to get help through the Household Support Fund.