Save money on your children’s school uniform | Tenant news

Preparing for the start of a new school year brings added financial pressures for many parents and guardians of school aged children, so we’ve searched the internet to find ways that you can keep your children’s uniform costs down.

Research by The Children’s Society found that each year parents are spending an average of £422 for secondary school children, and £287 for primary school children, on school uniform.

The UK Government has published guidance for schools to ensure their school uniform costs are affordable. However, due to the rising cost of food and living expenses, uniforms are still unaffordable for many parents.

If you’re looking to spend less on your kids’ school uniform, here are a few ways you can do it.

The local supermarket

If your child’s school doesn’t ask that school uniform is brought from a certain supplier, supermarkets like Asda, Aldi, Lidl, Tesco and Sainsburys can be a good place to bag a bargain.

Prices can range between £5-10 for children’s school shirts, sweatshirts, skirts and trousers.

You should also keep an eye on the MoneySavingExpert website as it regularly publishes information on the cost of school uniforms in major supermarkets and high street stores.

Best of all, many retailers run school uniform sales during the summer holidays.

School uniform grant

Check out your local council’s website as you may be able to get help from them via a school uniform grant. The grant amount varies per region, and whether your children are in secondary or primary education.

If you live in England, help with the cost of your school uniform is down to individual councils. Please contact your local council to find out what support is available in your area.  

You can get anything up to £200 for a secondary school student in Wales. Find out more at help with school uniform costs.

Second-hand bargains

Check with your school or Parent Teacher Association to find out if there are any second-hand school uniform sales you might be able to take advantage of.

You may also want to look online. Websites that sell pre-loved items include Facebook Marketplace, Ebay, Uniformerly or even Freecycle. You can find second-hand uniforms at a great price and in some cases pay nothing.

Get help from our Tenant Support Fund

We’ve set up the Tenant Support Fund to help Habinteg tenants who are experiencing extreme hardship.

If you have urgent financial needs, you can apply to the fund for help with buying school uniform and shoes.

To apply, speak to your Neighbourhood Co-ordinator. If you’re not sure who your Neighbourhood Co-ordinator is, please give us a call on 0300 365 3100 or email direct@habinteg.org.uk.