Question to the Department for Education:

To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what assessment he has made of the potential impact of uniform payments for families, in the context of increases in the cost of living.

Education is a devolved matter, and the response outlines the information for England only.

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 for England on the cost of school uniforms, to ensure their cost is reasonable and secures the best value for money for parents.

The guidance on the cost of school uniforms can be found here: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/cost-of-school-uniforms/cost-of-school-uniforms.

The Department recognises that many people are worried about the impact of the increases in the cost of living with many households struggling to make their income stretch to cover the basics. It is therefore even more important that schools consider the cost of their uniform and follow the guidance to ensure best value for money for parents.