Families in the UK Cutting Back on Essentials to Afford School Uniforms
Many parents in the United Kingdom are being forced to cut back on food or heating in order to afford their children’s school uniforms. A survey conducted by the parenting charity Parentkind found that uniform costs can run into hundreds of pounds, with 47 per cent of parents expressing serious concern about the financial burden. Almost a third (29 per cent) said they had sacrificed basic necessities to cover these expenses.
Of the 2,000 parents surveyed, nearly half reported that they planned to rely on credit cards, while a third said they would turn to buy-now-pay-later services. Education Secretary Bridget Phillipson has urged schools to reduce the number of branded items they require, describing the situation as urgent. Under new legislation, from September 2026 schools will be permitted to mandate no more than three branded items, with secondary schools limited to one branded tie.
Pepe Di’Iasio, General Secretary of the Association of School and College Leaders, warned: “Child poverty levels in the UK are alarming. We expect the government to address this issue through a comprehensive strategy.”