School-uniform grant: How to apply, who is eligible, and how much you could get

Local councils can help parents cover the cost of school uniforms in the form of grants
Parents across the UK could be eligible for help with school-uniform costs
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Beril Naz Hassan5 September 2022

Parents who are struggling with back-to-school costs can apply to receive a school-uniform grant.

While the Education Act 1990 gives local authorities the power to provide financial help to parents with low incomes in regards to buying school clothing for their children, councils in England aren’t obligated to help.

And, even when they decide to offer the school-uniform grant, individual councils decide how much they offer, who is eligible, and what items the grant will cover.

Here’s everything you need to know about the school-uniform grant.

How to apply for the school-uniform grant

Parents can head to the dedicated government website and enter their postcode to check if their local council provides help with school-uniform costs.

The website will match the postcode to its local-authority website, where parents can search for more information.

The website advises that, if their council does not offer financial support, parents should ask their child’s school directly to see if it can help.

Who is eligible for the school-uniform grant?

Eligibility criteria varies from one local authority to another, but the aim of the grant is to support low-income families.

Children who qualify for free school meals are likely to also qualify for the school-uniform grant if their local council offers it.

In some areas, financial support may depend on the child’s age and the type of school they attend.

Eligible families are allowed to claim the grant once per child every school year.

How much could you get?

The English councils that provide the grant offer varying amounts of financial support to families. Therefore, parents should contact their local authority to find out how much they offer.

In Wales and Northern Ireland, the grant is funded by their governments and only allocated by the local councils.

Welsh pupils who are eligible for free school meals can apply for the grant and receive up to £125. If the pupil is entering Year Seven, then they will be eligible for up to £200.

Students in Northern Ireland can be given up to £78 for their school uniforms.

On the other hand, those in Scotland who are deemed eligible will be given at least £120 per primary-school pupil and £150 per secondary-school pupil. The exact amount is dependent on the local authority they are connected to.

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