Schools Bill will result in cheaper uniform costs, ministers claim

The parents of four million children will get cheaper school uniforms because of a law reform making its way through Parliament, the Government has claimed.

The Children’s Wellbeing and Schools Bill will reduce uniform costs for families by £70 million across England, according to analysis by the Department for Education (DfE).

MPs have previously raised concerns about the high costs parents face in buying branded items of clothing for uniform.

Schools are required to limit the amount of branded uniform items but a survey has shown they are not doing so, with parents having to pay on average £442 for secondary school uniforms, and £343 for primary school uniforms.

As the House of Lords continues scrutiny of the Bill, the Government has insisted it will help to reduce the costs of school uniform by placing limits on the number of branded items schools can require children to have.

This limit will be three items, excluding school ties.

Education Secretary Bridget Phillipson said: “Looking smart at school shouldn’t cost the earth and no parent should be forced to choose between buying family essentials and a school shirt or tie.

“Alongside our free breakfast clubs, these new laws will save parents hundreds of pounds a year and make sure family finances have no bearing on children’s time at school.

“This Bill is about keeping children safe, saving parents money and bringing every school up to the standard of the best, so we can break down barriers to opportunity and deliver our plan for change.”

The new uniform laws will save parents £50 a year in the back-to-school shop, according to the DfE.

Alongside the uniform limits, the Bill proposes to introduce free breakfast clubs, create a new register of all home-schooled children in England and reform academies.

Ministers have faced criticism from advocates for the academy system for moves they believe will restrict their freedoms and which could limit their pay scales.