Families across the UK could be due up to £200 before the next school year starts
As the summer holidays are in full swing, it will be long before parents and their children find themselves back in uniform shops and stationery stores, gearing up for the upcoming school year. The School Uniforms Grant could help thousands of families reduce the cost of this often expensive shopping trip.
The scheme is provided by certain local councils, meaning the amount you receive, eligibility criteria, and application deadlines can vary from one area to another. However, not all councils offer these grants. Only 22 in England provide the scheme, while all local authorities in Northern Ireland, Scotland, and Wales do.
In Northern Ireland, parents can receive up to £93.60 per child by applying through the Education Authority, but you will need to act quickly as the deadline is July 25.
Scotland offers a minimum of £120, but the exact amount and deadline will depend on the council. Parents can access their council’s application form on the Mygov.scot website. In Wales, parents can receive up to £200 per child by using their council’s application form on Gov.wales by May 31, 2026.
English councils providing grants and this year and how much is available, according to Money-Saving Expert:
- Barnet – £100
- Barnsley – £100
- Bolton – £30
- City of London – £160
- Cumberland – £100
- East Riding of Yorkshire – £40
- Greenwich – £150
- Hackney – £100
- Hammersmith and Fulham – £79
- Haringey – £60
- Hounslow – £60
- Islington – £150
- Hull – £40
- North Lincolnshire – £30
- Rotherham – £70
- Sandwell – £25
- Southwark – £45
- Tower Hamlets – £150
- Wandsworth – £170
- Westmorland and Furness – £70
- Westminster – £150
- York – £100
For most of these councils, you can apply via the authority’s website. However, for Barnsley, East Riding of Yorkshire, Hull, Rotherham, Wandsworth and York, the vouchers are issued automatically. In Westminster, the funding is distributed by schools so you will need to contact them to apply.
Some councils also have a deadline to apply for the scheme for the 2025/2026 academic year. Barnet’s is the earliest at July 31, followed by Southwark on August 11, Tower Hamlets on September 30, Sandwell in January, and Haringey in March.
The Money-Saving Expert website noted that while each council sets their own criteria, a general minimum requirement to get the grant in England is qualifying for means-tested free school meals, but this does not mean you have to receive them. This usually includes getting certain benefits like Universal Credit.
According to government data from April this year, parents are shelling out an average of £442 for a full secondary school kit per child. Primary school kits are only slightly more affordable at £343 per child.
The cost spurred the government to introduce a proposed new law in the Children’s Wellbeing and Schools Bill, which restricts the number of branded items a school can mandate as part of their uniform. These items usually come with a heftier price tag, and the proposed legislation would limit schools to specifying a maximum of three in their uniform.
This cap could potentially slash £70million off the national school uniform bill. The Bill is currently under review in the committee stage in the House of Lords.