Struggling parents can claim up to £150 on school uniforms

Parents who are struggling to cope with the cost of living crisis can get some help towards buying school uniforms.

The news comes as many parents will be preparing their children for the summer holidays and looking ahead to the new school term, and with that comes further costs for new uniforms and more. Help is at hand though thanks to some councils across the UK who are making their school uniform grants of up to £150 available.

The grants are not compulsory in England, which means not all local authorities have to offer the support. Only certain people will be eligible to apply for the grants too.

Applications for the grants have begun to open following the launches of many retailers' sales of school uniform ranges. For example, Marks and Spencer are offering their customers 20% off their school uniforms until Monday, July 25, 2022. While budget-friendly supermarket, Aldi, has a £5 school uniform bundle.

Those who claim free school meals, are on low incomes or claim benefits might be entitled to help and be able to apply for the grant. The age of your child can also affect whether you qualify as well, reports The Mirror.

A school uniform costs £101.19 per child in secondary school on average, according to a retailer survey by The Schoolwear Association. Below, we explain how school uniform grants work.

School uniform grants aren’t a statutory requirement in England - which means councils don’t have to provide the funding.

Dozens of local authorities have also slashed funding over the years, which means parents face a postcode lottery for the help. Last year, less than 30 councils in England offered the support, according to MoneySavingExpert.

We’ve asked the Department for Education for the latest number of