School uniforms: What is the new law and how will it help parents save money?

School uniforms ‘must never be a burden for parents’, chancellor says

The government has introduced a new law which aims to lower the cost of school uniforms amid the ongoing cost of living crisis.

Under the changes, schools in England are required to ensure that uniform costs are “reasonable”, that students not obligated to wear “unnecessary” branded items and may come to school wearing supermarket brand uniforms.

Schools must also ensure that secondhand uniforms are available to parents who need them.

The change comes after a survey by The Schoolwear Association found that the average cost of school uniform per child in 2021 was £93.

Chancellor Nadhim Zahawi said the change in law will “make uniforms far more affordable for famililies by driving costs down”.

“School uniform provides a sense of identity and community for children and young people, and should be a real source of pride. But it must never be a burden for parents or a barrier to pupils accessing education,” he said.

Will the change in law bring down the cost of uniforms?

Some parents have highlighted two key loopholes in the law which mean they may not be able to benefit from the change.

While schools are “expected” to have taken steps to change uniform guidelines by September 2022, the government has given them until December 2022 to secure a new contract with a uniform supplier.

This means many parents would still have to fork out for the old, branded uniform this September.

Additionally, the change in law does not ban all branded items, which means schools can still require children to wear costly items bearing their logo, such as a school blazer.

One mother told BBC her sons were still required to wear blazers bearing their schools logo, which cost between £45 and £60 apiece.

John Jolly, CEO of Parentkind, commented: “Parentkind strongly welcomes the new guidance that reduces costs for parents and promotes schools engaging with their parent community on uniform policy.

“Our Parent Voice Report 2021 finds that uniforms top parents’ concerns on schooling costs. More PTA-run second hand uniform shops, along with the new guidance, should quickly reduce the financial burden on parents.”