Helping to make school uniforms more affordable
While state school education is free, the cost of uniforms can be too much for many families, especially if items like blazers and ties have to be bought from a specified supplier.
Tips for reducing the cost of school uniforms
- Ask your child’s school if they provide discretionary grants for school uniforms.
- Some schools hold secondhand stock for sale, exchange or donation.
- You can buy many of the basic, non-branded items, such as shirts, trousers, skirts and shoes at low cost from supermarkets and high street chain stores.
Local services providing support for school uniform costs
The charities and organisations below may be able to help with the cost of uniforms.
- Stripey Stork– offer new or good condition secondhand children’s clothes up to age 16. Stripey Stork is not able to respond to requests from individual families but you can request a referral from a family support worker or a social worker.
- The Mayor of Guildford’s Local Support Fund– helps local people facing financial problems, which includes dealing with the cost of school uniforms. The referral needs to be completed by a professional, such as a social worker, health visitor or doctor.
Financial assistance options
If you are finding it hard to pay for school uniforms, you might like to consider ways to increase or better manage your funds.
- Use our online calculator Budgeting and Benefits Calculator – Rosebery Housing to check if you are receiving all the benefits that you are entitled to.
- Your local Citizens Advice can also advise on your entitlement to benefits and may also be aware of local funding that could help towards costs.
- If you have a professional supporting you, they may be able to apply on your behalf for a grant from Buttle UK.
- If you are on certain benefits, you can apply for an interest-free budgeting loan from the Government.
- Take a look at Surrey County Council’s Family Finances and Organisations offering financial help to families webpages or the Family Information Service Directory to see what other support is available.
