Question to the Department for Education:

To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what recent assessment he has made of the effect of inflation on the cost of school uniforms.

The department has made no recent direct assessment on the effect of inflation on the cost of uniforms, but we know expensive uniforms can create a financial burden for parents. The government is clear that school uniform should be affordable. No school uniform should be so expensive that pupils or their families feel unable to apply to or attend a school of their choice.

In November 2021, the department issued new statutory guidance on the cost of school uniforms, to ensure their cost is reasonable and secures the best value for money for parents. The guidance can be found here: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/cost-of-school-uniforms/cost-of-school-uniforms.

The department understands that many people are worried about the impact of rising prices, with many households struggling to make their income stretch to cover the basics. It is therefore even more important that schools give careful consideration to the cost of their uniform and follow the guidance to ensure best value for money for parents.