A London council is likely to become the first in England to offer a “universal” payment towards school uniform costs to households on an income of less than £50,350.
MPs were this week debating government plans to ban schools in England from requiring parents to buy more than three branded uniform items, plus a tie – but Tower Hamlets council said that “simply isn’t enough to alleviate the burden” on struggling families, and that it intended to offer payments of up to £150 for each child.
The cost of living crisis has meant that buying school uniforms is an even bigger concern than usual for many parents, and some families have reportedly turned to clothing banks for help. Charities such as the Salvation Army say there has been increased demand for secondhand items.
If a child is starting a new school or moving up to secondary level, it can mean starting over and paying for pricey bespoke items such as blazers and jumpers, on top of typical staples such as polo shirts.
The Children’s Society charity said this week that “the high cost of school uniforms has put an unnecessary financial strain on families for far too long”, and Tower Hamlets council is urging other councils, and the government, to follow its lead.
The east London council has announced a new “free school uniform payment” that would benefit 21,000 children over the next three years – 7,000 a year – and cost £3m over that period. It would be a “universal payment” for all children where the family’s household income is less than £50,350, and would be £50 for children starting primary school and £150 for those starting secondary school.
Tower Hamlets is said to have the highest rate of child poverty in the UK, and the council said there would be no restrictions on the help, so a family with one primary school starter and two secondary school starters would receive £350 worth of payments.
The government outlined its own cost-saving measures this week in its children’s wellbeing and schools bill.
In an apparent swipe at central government, the Tower Hamlets mayor, Lutfur Rahman, said his council’s planned payment “demonstrates the kind of financial support that national and local government should be offering, going beyond token gestures to directly relieve the pressure on cash-strapped families”.
There have been tensions between the government and Tower Hamlets council. Late last year, ministers said they would send central government officials to help oversee the running of the authority after a critical official report.
The government says 24% of primary and 70% of English secondary schools still require five or more branded items, while some parents have said they were asked to provide 10 or more for their child.
It said the new legislation would “put more cash back in working parents’ pockets by capping the number of branded items schools can require … This could save some families over £50 per child during the back-to-school shop, ensuring parents have as much flexibility as possible to shop around and save money”.
The Tower Hamlets proposal was agreed by the council’s cabinet on 8 January and will come to full council for approval on 26 February.