Cost of living: Parents face ‘fight’ for school uniform cost help

Families need more support to afford school uniforms amid the cost of living crisis, a charity said.

The Bevan Foundation said school uniform eligibility criteria were too narrow and more parents needed help.

One parent said she had to “fight” for a scholarship and was angry that some families might fall through the cracks.

The Welsh Government said it was doing everything it could to help.

At Ysgol Heol Y Celyn Primary, Pontypridd, Rhondda Cynon Taf, Assistant Principal Dave Roberts said: “The safety and warmth of our children will be a priority.”

But with potentially thousands of pounds more coming out of heating and lighting budgets through energy bills, he added: “We don’t really want to make the decision to turn the heating off at 11am instead of 1pm.

“You know we don’t really want that. But it could come down to this. Either we do that or we lose an employee.”

Speaking on BBC Radio Wales Breakfast, he urged more parents to have access to school uniform grants as they all grapple with the cost of living crisis.

In Wales, families are eligible for grants if they meet certain criteria linked to existing entitlements to free school meals.

For this year only, the Welsh Government has increased grants by £100 to help meet the rising cost of living.

The Bevan Foundation’s head of policy, based in Merthyr Tydfil, Dr. Steffan Evans, however, said more needs to be done, including easing the single guidelines and raising the threshold as more people feel the pinch.

Diza from Saltney, Flintshire has two children aged seven and 13 who go to school just over the border in Chester.

She said she had to fight for the uniform bursary even though the school fell within the catchment area and said she would have missed out on £500 in support had she not appealed to the Welsh Government after a series of rejections.

Flintshire County Council said it disbursed the grant in the case as soon as it was informed by the Welsh Government that Welsh local authorities at the border were able to award the grant to children attending school in England.

Though she’s happy about the money, she said she’s angry that some families may continue to fall through the cracks and end up struggling.

“Money is tight and I’m very worried about the energy bills,” she said.

“I don’t worry that much about myself as I’m pretty good with money, but I have friends and family who are struggling massively and I wonder if that’s going to get any harder.”

She said uniforms should either be provided by schools instead of scholarships, or policies should be relaxed to avoid a “uniform deficit”.

She said her daughter’s high school requires a £45 blazer and allows for a brand of sneakers that “sets a standard not many families can match”.

Her son – who has additional needs – needs a uniform due to sensory issues, and she said he’s growing so fast it’s not just a one-time purchase.

“I don’t want my kids to have to worry about scraping their knees or playing in puddles,” she said.

“School uniform is a must, regardless of income – every child must wear one.

“So why are people expected to go out and buy such different options?

A spokesman for Flintshire City Council confirmed the resident had now received payment for the school uniform bursary.

“We would encourage any other parents who think they may be eligible to apply now,” they said.

dr Evans said the Bevan Foundation has found that “a lot of families are finding life very difficult,” and with expected increases in energy costs, it’s only going to get more of a challenge.

“Increasing the delivery of support and taking action to reduce the cost of uniforms are both steps that will make a real difference across Wales,” he said.

He said the charity welcomes the Welsh Government’s move for higher grants for all ages, but with the requirement to earn less than £7,400 a year if they get universal credit, that’s “really a pretty low bar”.

“In the current context, where we know that in many families, even if both parents work, life is difficult, they will miss out on this support that could make a difference.”

dr Evans said the charity wanted eligibility criteria to be set at the same level as Universal Credit to make it “more accessible to people”.

He added that reducing some school-level standards regarding uniforms “could allow those who receive support to go even further, and for those who miss out, relieves some of the pressure they may be facing.” .

He said this is not only due to the cost of the uniform, but also the cost of washing and accommodating growing children.

“If you think about the context we’re going to be facing this winter where people are going to be paying really hard for electricity and gas, they’re going to need several things as they can’t afford to run an under-full wash , ” he said.

“We need that flexibility so that people can shop in supermarkets etc. and let that money flow a little bit further.”

A Welsh Government spokeswoman said many families are struggling with the cost of living crisis and she encouraged all schools to ensure the guidelines are “inclusive for all”, with the guidelines due to be updated shortly.

“Our school uniform policy means schools must keep uniform costs to a minimum and many lower-income families are eligible for PDG Access to help with the cost of school uniforms and other school supplies,” she said.

“This is the most generous scheme in the UK and parents and guardians should contact their local authority to check their eligibility and apply.”

A former teacher and sustainability activist has called for a national uniform swap shop to be set up in all schools so parents can swap clothes.

“Unfortunately for some families, faced with the cost of living crisis, there will be no real alternative,” said Helen O’Sullivan, Founder of Sustainable Fashion Wales.

“So it’s important that we have these barter deals in the schools for these families. The circle of people struggling financially is becoming so large that people outside of the right to free school meals will need help.”

Ms O’Sullivan was a textiles teacher at Penyrheol Comprehensive School in Swansea until this summer and said all schools would benefit, not just those in poorer areas.

She added, “It’s not just an economic issue, it’s also an environmental issue,” as many items are made from synthetic fibers derived from fossil fuels and are only worn for a few months.

“When costs go up and there’s a choice between heating or eating, school uniforms will be at the bottom of the pile,” she said.

Ms O’Sullivan added that another “big problem” is schools requiring students to wear branded uniforms bought from specialist outfitters.

“The whole point of a uniform is that all kids look the same and you can’t tell who’s from a disadvantaged background,” she said.