02-07-2025
Huge change to school uniform costs planned by government could PUSH UP prices
Parents were told the shake-up could save them £50 per child - but experts have warned 61% of retailers will have to hike prices
DRESSING DOWN Huge change to school uniform costs planned by government could PUSH UP prices
A HUGE change to school uniform costs planned by the government could push up prices for families sending their kids back to school.
The Department for Education revealed plans in April next year to cut school uniform costs for families, saving them £73 million a year.
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School uniforms could actually go up in price, despite a government strategy to cut costs
Credit: Getty
In its Children's Wellbeing and Schools Bill, plans included limiting the number of branded uniform items that schools ask parents to buy to three items, not including ties.
The department said its measures would save families £50 per child, based on if they bought all their clothes from specialist uniform shops.
Families are spending £442 on average to kit their child out for secondary school, and £343 for primary school, according to the government's own estimates.
Education secretary Bridget Phillipson said at the time that looking smart at school "shouldn't cost the earth".
But an industry trade body have warned that the government's cost-saving plans could actually push prices up instead.
The Schoolwear Association said that 61% of suppliers would be forced into raising prices to cover money lost, according to a survey of 150 uniform shops.
Some 53% said they would likely need to axe or remove discounts offered to low income families.
A huge 86% of uniform retailers said the government's plans for a three-item cap would make school clothes more expensive in the long run.
Matthew Easter from the Schoolwear Association said: "These findings should come as a serious warning to the Government.
"We have repeatedly tried to engage with ministers in a constructive way to warn of the risks of this policy backfiring - harming the very families it's meant to help, and putting small community businesses and local jobs at risk."
The Department for Education was approached for comment.
What help is available for school uniform?
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Your local council could offer grants to help you afford the cost of school uniform
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You may be able to apply for a grant from your local council if you are struggling to afford school uniforms.
This is usually paid in a one-off payment to your bank account - but help available varies from council to council.
Check with your council to see what help it could offer, and if there is a deadline to apply for any grant.
Speak to your school to see if it can offer any reduced price items, and check your local charity shops to see if there's any uniform there.
Ask friends and search on Facebook groups to see if any families in your local area are giving away old uniforms for free, or at a heavily reduced price.
Which shops are launching a uniform sale?
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Families love Aldi's bargain offer on five school uniform items for £5
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Supermarkets often launch school uniform sales around the summer holidays.
Aldi has brought back it's popular £5 school uniform bundle deal.
The bundle includes two polo shirts, a sweatshirt or cardigan, and a choice of trousers, skirt or cargo shorts – all for a fiver.
Sizes are available for kids aged four to 12.
Put a note in your calendar to visit Tesco's website or your local store for its 25% off offer between July 22 and July 27.
Non-Clubcard prices starting from £3 (£2.25 for Clubcard) for a two-pack of crew neck t-shirt.
Be aware that M&S will not be launching its usual 20% off school uniform sale because of the disruption caused by a cyber attack earlier this year.
