THOUSANDS of hard-up parents can claim up to £150 to help pay for their child’s school uniform.
The offer comes as part of the Scotland School Clothing Grant.
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You might be able to claim financial help this summer in the lead up to kids going back to school.
With recent inflation figures hitting 9.4% this week, many are struggling for food, petrol, bills and more.
But as well as the £650 cost of living payment, you might be able to grab some extra cash from your local council to help pay for school uniforms.
Here’s everything you need to know about the grant.
How can I claim £150?
The school clothing grant is available to those in Scotland as a cash grant paid directly to your account.
It’s supposed to help cash-strapped parents pay for their kids’ school uniforms, which may be cheaper now due to a major government rule change.
These are the two cash payments available:
- £120 per child of primary school age
- £150 per child of secondary school age
You need to apply via your local council, which you can find using the government locator tool. You’ll just need to put in your post code.
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You might be able to get more money depending on your local council and what other grants they offer, but £120-£150 is the minimum.
You’ll also need to double check when exactly when you can apply – for most it’s between July until the end of March next year.
Who’s eligible?
Again, this will probably differ throughout local councils.
For most, you’ll need to prove some kind of financial hardship which might require a recent bank statement.
Otherwise, it might help if you receive tax credits, like these:
- Income support
- Income-based Jobseeker’s Allowance
- Income-related Employment and Support Allowance
You should get one school clothing payment per year.
Most councils make that payment usually in July or August before the new school year starts – but you’ll need to check.
What other help with school uniform can I get?
There are plenty of ways to get help if you’re struggling for the new school year.
Some charities give grants to help with the costs of education.
But bear in mind they often have a limited amount of money to give and usually have specific criteria which must be met in order to get a grant.
For example, members of union Unison can access grants of between £50 and £150 if they meet other income criteria.
And struggling parents who work in supermarkets can apply for a £150 grant to help with the cost of school uniforms.
Alternatively, charity Turn2Us has a free grants search tool so you can find out what help is available to you.
You also can apply for free school meals before the terms starts so you don’t need to worry about the rising cost of food.
By applying for this, it means you’ll get help throughout the holidays too when your little ones aren’t in school.
That includes:
- Summer 2022
- October mid-term 2022
- Christmas 2022
- February mid-term 2023
- Easter 2023
To qualify, you’ll need to be on one of the following benefits:
- Universal Credit (where your monthly earned income is not more than £660)
- Income Support
- income-based Job Seeker’s Allowance
- income-based Employment and Support Allowance
- support under Part VI of the Immigration and Asylum Act 1999
Your child could also get free school lunches if you get:
- Child Tax Credit, but not Working Tax Credit, and your income is less than £17,005
- both Child Tax Credit and Working Tax Credit and have an income of up to £7,920
If you’re receiving one or more of these benefits, you can apply again via your local council.
There are also ways to get free meals if you don’t get any of these benefits, like you’re still waiting on your first Universal Credit notice or your child has had a Guardianship Order.
You’ll need to discuss this with your council.
If you’re not sure where to go to find the cheapest school uniform, we’ve got you covered.
Read here about the cheapest places to find school uniform in the UK, including supermarkets like Aldi and Tesco.
