School uniform grants: Check if you can get up to £200 in support from your council

New: School uniform rules are changing from 1 September in England

From 1 September, under a new law in England, schools can no longer require parents to buy more than three branded items (or, for secondary and middle schools, four if a tie is one of the items). This will apply both for students returning to the same school, and for those starting at a new school this academic year.

We've asked the Department for Education how it plans to enforce this policy and we will update this story when we know more.

In Scotland and Wales, branded uniform is supposed to be optional, not compulsory. In Northern Ireland, schools are expected to minimise the number of branded items required, though there's no definition on the number of branded items deemed acceptable.

Who's eligible for a school uniform grant

Generally, the minimum UK-wide requirement to get a school uniform grant is to qualify for means-tested free school meals – even if you don't actually get them.

Typically, to get means-tested free school meals, you need to be getting a specific benefit, such as Universal Credit (see which benefits count). The exact criteria for free school meals varies slightly around the UK – see full info and how to apply in England, Northern Ireland, Scotland and Wales.

However, local authorities can set their own school uniform grant eligibility criteria, and some councils include additional requirements – for example, in some cases your child has to be in a specific year group or moving from primary to secondary school to qualify.

If you're not currently getting any benefits, use our 10-minute benefits check to ensure you're not missing out on vital support.

Live in England? Here are the councils that offer a school uniform grant

In England, whether you can get a school uniform grant is a postcode lottery, as it's down to your local council to decide whether to offer one, how much you get and the eligibility criteria.

We've combed through the websites of all English councils responsible for education services – over 150 of them – and listed the 23 we found offering grants below.

While a number of deadlines in England have already passed, most local authorities that offer grants are still accepting applications – so it's worth checking what you can get.

If your council isn't listed above, ask if it has other help available. Under the Crisis and Resilience Fund, which launched in April 2026, councils in England can access funding to help those most in need with the cost of daily essentials, including school clothing in some cases.

Each council can choose how to distribute the money, so eligibility criteria and what you can get varies – for example, some have given extra funding to schools to hand out, while others provide direct help to vulnerable households in the form of supermarket vouchers.

It's worth contacting your council to find out what it offers. If you can't access financial support under the Crisis and Resilience Fund, your council may have other schemes in place that could help you.

All local authorities in Northern Ireland, Scotland and Wales offer uniform grants

School uniform grants are offered by all local authorities in Northern Ireland, Scotland and Wales to anyone who meets the eligibility criteria. Here's how it works in brief:

• Northern Ireland:
  - You can get up to £93.60 per child.
  - Currently accepting late applications (the deadline to apply in order to guarantee funding for the start of term was 31 July 2026).
  - Apply online via the Education Authority.

• Scotland:
  - The amount you get varies by council, but it'll be at least £120.
  - The deadline to apply varies by council.
  - See Mygov.scot for the link to your council's application form.

• Wales:
  - You can get up to £200 per child.
  - The deadline to apply is by 31 May 2027.
  - See Gov.wales for the link to your council's application form.

Other ways to cut the cost of school uniform

We've got lots of tips in our School uniform MoneySaving guide, but here are a few ways to save:

• Ask your school for help. Some offer vouchers or other financial assistance to help you cover the cost of uniforms. If they don't have a scheme like this in place, they may be able to point you in the direction of a local charity or community group that can assist you.

• Bag a second-hand uniform. Government guidance says schools should make sure second-hand uniform is available and publish information on their websites about how to buy it – so it's always worth checking for this in the first instance.
  
  Alternatively, Facebook Marketplace and eBay can be a treasure trove – we've previously found some logo sweatshirts, an official tie, generic trousers and more for free, as well as hundreds of other items for about £2 to £5.

• Look for supermarket sales and deals. Various supermarkets offer generic uniforms from as little as £5 per full set – these are plain-coloured clothes with no unique school badges. This is excellent value if your child's school allows generic uniforms. If you do need items with a logo, sometimes it's cheaper to buy a generic sweatshirt and iron on a badge yourself.
  

• Check local Facebook groups and community programmes. There may be a 'school uniform bank' or pop-up shop in your area offering items at low or no cost, or a swap meet where you can exchange items with other parents and carers.