A record number of parents can’t afford to buy school uniforms as the cost of living tightens, according to a charity.
Demand for the Back to School Bank in East Renfrewshire has almost tripled since 2018.
And that summer was the busiest time since its inception.
The community group offers brand new uniforms, shoes and stationery for kids whose parents are struggling financially.
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Low income families across Scotland are eligible for a Scottish Government grant of £120 for a primary school aged child or £150 for a young person in secondary school.
Sandra Douglas, the founder of Back to School Bank, told BBC Scotland that a growing number of working parents are in need of support.
She said: “This year has been incredibly difficult. In 2018 we made about a hundred uniforms and now four years later we are three times as many. There was no quiet period this year.
“These are not welfare recipients. These are people who work. Some people have two jobs and still can’t get by.”
The project works on a referral basis, which means the volunteers have no idea which families need help.
Aid organizations collect the data of the needy through women’s aid, social work, money advice centers and schools.
Ms Douglas continued: “We don’t question anything. What these posts say is true. The children are completely anonymous to us.”
A survey of around 1,000 British parents by The Children’s Society found that those with children in state schools spend an average of £337 a year on secondary uniforms and £315 a year for each primary school child.
The Scottish Government has said its national school uniforms grant is managed by local authorities.
According to the company’s own website, however, who can apply and how much money is offered depends on the individual councils.
Ministers are currently discussing new proposed guidelines to reduce the single cost.
A Government spokeswoman said eligible families would have access to an additional grant of £267.65 as well as the Scottish child benefit of £20 per child per week.
One of Scotland’s leading charities, The Child Poverty Action Group (CPAG), has been campaigning for years to improve the provision of free school meals.
Students in P1-P5 currently benefit from free breakfast and lunch.
But the Scottish Government has postponed an extension of its pledge to extend this to P6 and P7.
SNP Deputy First Minister John Swinney made the commitment at his party conference in 2020 at an expected annual cost of £230million a year.
Universal roll-out was due to start this month, but the Scottish Government has confirmed that will not happen at this time.
CPAG’s John Dickie said the timing for the provision of additional free food would have been ideal given the cost pressures facing households.
He said: “Universal free school meals is a really good way to give families extra support.
“We would really welcome this commitment to extend it to P6 and P7. The fact that this doesn’t happen is really disappointing.
“We would urge the government to move forward, work with local authorities and deliver on this promise as soon as possible.”
The Scottish Government said some eligible P6 to S6 pupils were still getting free school meals.
A spokesperson added: “We will continue to work with our partners to plan the extension of the free provision of school meals to P6 and P7, which will be backed by £30m equity funding this year to expand the catering and to support dining facilities.”
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