London Daily

Focus on the big picture.
Thursday, Jul 10, 2025

Affordable uniforms law will miss new school year

Affordable uniforms law will miss new school year

A new law aimed at making school uniforms cheaper in England and Wales will not be in place in time for the start of this school year.

The average primary school uniform costs £315, according to the Children's Society

Headteachers are waiting for the new statutory guidance on uniforms, which will make schools place affordability at the centre of their uniform policy.

The government says schools should expect full details in the autumn.

But that means parents will not benefit from the changes as schools go back this September.

According to The Children's Society, the average uniform costs £315 per primary school pupil and £337 per secondary pupil.

Mike Amesbury, the Labour MP who first introduced the legislation, said he would be "incredibly disappointed" if any further delays to the guidance meant that the changes weren't fully in force for the start of the next academic year, beginning in September 2022.

He added that hundreds of thousands of children, parents and campaigners would be equally upset.

It is expected that the rules will limit the number of logos on uniforms, allowing parents to buy more items from supermarkets and shops other than a school's main supplier.


When this new law eventually comes into force, it will save families a big sum of cash.

At the moment, some schools require trousers or skirts to have the school badge on, alongside jumpers, cardigans, polo shirts, blazers - and that's before you even get started on sports kits.

Each item that's specific to the school costs more, so only having to buy one or two would mean big savings.

In the meantime some local sewing services have pattern school logos and might be able to embroider a badge onto a generic top to save some cash.

For years many, schools have had a link to a local uniform shop, where all pupils must go to get kitted out. Although many parents see this as a way of supporting local business, for plenty of other families it just limits their chances of getting something cheaper elsewhere. This new law is aiming to open up the way those deals with supply shops are signed, so it's not done on a nod-and-a-wink, and will now have price as the central factor.

Parents will now have to wait and hope that the law is finalised before the next academic year begins to see the reality of those cash savings.

Azmina Siddique, policy manager at the Children's Society, told the BBC it was disappointing parents won't see a financial benefit this September.

But she added: "We appreciate that these [changes] can take a bit of time and it's really important to get the guidance right."

Schools will now have more time to review their policies, she said, adding: "Teachers have also told us that, while they would be very happy for the law to have been passed, in year they have had - adjusting to home learning and the impact of the pandemic - that one more thing before the summer term may have been difficult."

Schools are also expecting a new tendering process, which will mean they can get the best value for money when selecting who makes and sells their uniforms.

Additionally there's expected to be a process for parents and carers to complain if they feel that's not happening effectively at their children's schools.

Emma Ball started the Uniform Exchange in Winsford

While they wait for legislation to cut costs, many parents have taken matters into their own hands by forming groups and swap shops, often online, to offer others items that no longer fit and to find new kit for their own children.

Emma Ball started the Uniform Exchange in Winsford, Cheshire three years ago when her two eldest children left school and she was left with clothes she no longer had use for.

She now collects items from parents across the area and helps get them to families who need anything from a new blazer for high school to a pinafore for winter term.


Since starting the exchange she has helped more than 1,000 families and said that this year demand has doubled.

Emma says the issue of incorrect uniforms affects secondary school pupils in particular, with some schools sanctioning them or even sending them home if they arrive without wearing the right clothes.

Parents Corinna Baker-Sinclair and Rebecca Benson say the exchange makes sense and saves money


"Children shouldn't ever be punished for not having a school uniform" she said, adding that people shouldn't worry about going to a swap shop for school wear as they're keeping it out of landfill.

Parents Corinna Baker-Sinclair and Rebecca Benson have both used the swap shop in the town.

With three children in primary and another in secondary, Corinna said she would have to pay out well over £1,000 if she were to buy everything new each year.

For Rebecca it's not just the financial cost of new uniforms that led her to use the uniform exchange. "When you look around and see how much there actually is that can be put to good use rather than going to landfill it makes sense to reuse," she said. "You'd much rather spend that money making memories than just to buy a school uniform."

When the law requiring government to introduce the new guidelines came into force earlier this year, school standards minister Nick Gibb said they would help families to save money and ensure that cost was never a barrier to accessing the best possible education.

However, with the new term starting imminently for most pupils in England and Wales, it's likely to be a year at least before parents see any change in the amount they're spending to kit out their children for school.

Newsletter

Related Articles

0:00
0:00
Close
Severe Heatwave Claims 2,300 Lives Across Europe
NVIDIA Achieves Historic Milestone as First Company Valued at $4 Trillion
Declining Beer Consumption Signals Cultural Shift in Germany
Linda Yaccarino Steps Down as CEO of X After Two Years
US Imposes New Tariffs on Brazilian Exports Amid Political Tensions
Azerbaijan and Armenia are on the brink of a historic peace deal.
Emails Leaked: How Passenger Luggage Became a Side Income for Airport Workers
Polish MEP: “Dear Leftists - China is laughing at you, Russia is laughing, India is laughing”
BRICS Expands Membership with Indonesia and Ten New Partner Countries
Weinstein Victim’s Lawyer Says MeToo Movement Still Strong
U.S. Enacts Sweeping Tax and Spending Legislation Amid Trade Policy Shifts
Football Mourns as Diogo Jota and Brother André Silva Laid to Rest in Portugal
Labour Expected to Withdraw Support for Special Needs Funding Model
Leaked Audio Reveals Tory Aide Defending DEI Record
Elon Musk Founds a Party Following a Poll on X: "You Wanted It – You Got It!"
London Stock Exchange Faces Historic Low in Initial Public Offerings
A new online platform has emerged in the United Kingdom, specifically targeting Muslim men seeking virgin brides
Trump Celebrates Independence Day with B-2 Flyover and Signs Controversial Legislation
Boris Johnson Urges Conservatives to Ignore Farage
SNP Ordered to Update Single-Sex Space Guidance Within Days
Starmer Set to Reject Calls for Wealth Taxes
Stolen Century-Old Rolls-Royce Recovered After Hotel Theft
Macron Presses Starmer to Recognise Palestinian State
Labour Delayed Palestine Action Ban Over Riot Concerns
Swinney’s Tax Comments ‘Offensive to Scots’, Say Tories
High Street Retailers to Enforce Bans on Serial Shoplifters
Music Banned by Henry VIII to Be Performed After 500 Years
Steve Coogan Says Working Class Is Being ‘Ethnically Cleansed’
Home Office Admits Uncertainty Over Visa Overstayer Numbers
JD Vance Questions Mandelson Over Reform Party’s Rising Popularity
Macron to Receive Windsor Carriage Ride in Royal Gesture
Labour Accused of ‘Hammering’ Scots During First Year in Power
BBC Head of Music Stood Down Amid Bob Vylan Controversy
Corbyn Eyes Hard-Left Challenge to Starmer’s Leadership
London Tube Trains Suspended After Major Fire Erupts Nearby
Richard Kemp: I Felt Safer in Israel Under Attack Than in the UK
Cyclist Says Police Cited Human Rights Act for Riding No-Handed
China’s Central Bank Consults European Peers on Low-Rate Strategies
AI Raises Alarms Over Long-Term Job Security
Saudi Arabia Maintains Ties with Iran Despite Israel Conflict
Musk Battles to Protect Tesla Amid Trump Policy Threats
Air France-KLM Acquires Majority Stake in Scandinavian Airlines
UK Educators Sound Alarm on Declining Child Literacy
Shein Fined €40 Million in France Over Misleading Discounts
Brazil’s Lula Visits Kirchner During Argentina House Arrest
Trump Scores Legislative Win as House Passes Tax Reform Bill
Keir Starmer Faces Criticism After Rocky First Year in Power
DJI Launches Heavy-Duty Coaxial Quadcopter with 80 kg Lift Capacity
U.S. Senate Approves Major Legislation Dubbed the 'Big Beautiful Bill'
Largest Healthcare Fraud Takedown in U.S. History Announced by DOJ
×