Uniform costs keep adding up

Schools are adding to recession-stressed parents' financial woes by ignoring government guidance on keeping down the cost of school uniform, national charity Citizens Advice said.

Too many are still insisting on uniform items that can only be bought from an exclusive supplier, instead of making sure parents can take advantage of cheaper deals widely available from supermarkets and high street chains.

Some even compel parents to purchase items from the school itself - often at twice the price they might pay for the same clothing elsewhere - with profits going towards school funds.

Now Citizens Advice is calling on all schools to do their bit to help family budgets by adopting sensible, low cost policies on uniform which comply with the official guidance on affordability.

Citizens Advice Chief executive Gillian Guy said: "As thousands of youngsters prepare for the return to school in September the question for many struggling families will be: "how do we afford it ?"

"In the current economic climate, and at a time when academies - many with expensive new uniforms - are springing up to replace existing schools, it's all the more important that schools do what they can to keep costs down for families who are under severe financial pressure.

"Yet evidence from our bureau network shows that many schools are continuing to overlook official guidance which says that the cost of uniforms, sports kit and other "essentials" should be kept to a minimum.

"By following simple, cost-cutting steps schools really can help families at this time of greatest need. We want to see them making uniform available from a wide selection of suppliers or by offering iron-on and sew-on badges as options.

"Local councils can play an important role too. Citizens Advice research shows that while more than 40% of local authorities are continuing to provide school uniform grants, nearly 60% are not, leaving parents having to approach local charities for help - or risk their children facing discipline for not having the correct uniform."

The Citizens Advice Adding Up campaign is challenging schools to help out families by following these simple recession-busting tips:

Make sure uniform is available from a range of outlets rather than one sole supplier

Offer sew-on badges that can be put on plain clothing

Encourage recycling or swap schemes

Go for colours that can be carried over from one school to the next

Appoint a governor to keep a check on the affordability of parental expenditure.