School Uniform Grant 2019 – Could YOU claim up to £150 from your council? How to apply online for the discount
BUDGET school uniforms are flying off the shelves as cash-strapped parents rush to snap up bargains before the beginning of the school year.
But did you know that some families can get up to £150 towards school uniform and PE kit costs for their children?
And the extra help is needed, considering school policies — and the rising costs of uniforms — mean a million kids’ families fall into debt paying for clobber according to research from charity The Children’s Society.
So where can struggling parents find help meeting back-to-school costs? And how do you apply?
What is a school clothing grant?
Under the Education Act 1996, local authorities have the power to provide financial help to parents on low incomes to assist them with buying school clothing for their children.
How can I find out whether I qualify?
AS a parent, you may be entitled to certain types of financial help, depending on your financial circumstances.
Some local councils provide help with the cost of school clothing, including PE kit.
The government provides to help parents find out if their council will help them.
The service will then redirect you to your local authority's website, where you can find the relevant information by looking at the "Education" tab.
But this is not a statutory duty.
Sadly, this means parents face a postcode lottery - as each council chooses whether to offer financial aid, who is eligible and what items they will help pay for.
Who is eligible for financial help?
Again, this will depend on your local authority, but as a general rule, grants are available for people on a range of benefits including jobseeker's allowance, income-related employment benefit or pension tax credits.
Often, children that qualify for free school meals will also qualify for uniform help - if it is offered by a specific council.
In some cases, financial help will be dependent on your children’s age or what type of school they are attending.
How much can I claim?
The amount low-income parents can claim in one-off school clothing grants varies hugely across the UK.
There are plenty of local authorities that don't offer any help to struggling parents.
In most cases, financial help will be dependent on what year your child is in.
For example, in the London Borough of Hounslow, a £60 school clothing grant is payable to secondary school pupils attending year seven and year nine only, and only for families whose household income does not exceed £16,190.
CHILDFINE Parent-and-child parking spaces are being abused - but using one without kids could soon get you fined
The City of London Corporation's school clothing grant policy – which helps families on low incomes living in the City – offers a maximum grant of £135 for families whose children are transferring to secondary school or £30 for children starting reception class in September.
Meanwhile, the Royal Borough of Greenwich offers four different types of grant ranging from £40 for pupils starting reception up to £100 for those entering year seven.
Islington council is currently offering one of the most generous grants we found with £150 given to mums and dads towards the cost of school uniform at the start of secondary school.
This compares to just £45 from Southwark council. This scheme is available for any children who are eligible for free school meals.
Grants have risen to a minimum of £100 per pupil across the board in Scotland.
In Wales, the government provides a one-off school uniform grant - currently to the value of £125 - for any pupils starting reception class in primary school, any aged four or 11 in special schools and any entering year seven - as long as they are claiming free school meals.
I live in Northern Ireland. Am I eligible?
IN Northern Ireland, the Education Authority pays a uniform grant to pupils who attend a primary, secondary, grammar or special school.
This means all schools are expected to give high priority to the cost of uniforms.
The eligibility criteria is similar to those used for free school meals.
The level of support is as follows:
- Primary school - £35.75
- Post-primary/special school for under 15s - £51
- Post-primary/special school for over 15s - £56
- Post-primary/special school PE - £22
You can find more information on .
How can I find out if my council offers help?
To find out whether your local authority offers school uniform grants, the first step is to visit your council's website.
You can call the helpline on 03454 04 05 06.
LEARN THESE BY HEART When does school start? All the 2018 term, half-term and holiday dates
Do I have any other options?
Yes. According to Citizens Advice, some charities give grants to help with the costs of education.
But bear in mind that charities often have a limited amount of money to give and usually have very specific criteria which must be met in order to get a grant.
The best thing to do is to get in touch with your school to see if a local charity might help.
Last year, The Sun put Aldi, Asda, Sainsbury’s and Tesco's budget school uniform to test with Tesco’s uniform ranking as the best value for money.
We've also rounded-up how much the major supermarkets are charging for school uniforms this year.
New research reveals that some families pay a 42% mortgage premium just to live close to good schools.
We pay for your stories! Do you have a story for The Sun Online Money team? Email us at money@the-sun.co.uk or call 0207 78 24516