Parents in England are skipping meals and turning to buy-now-pay-later services such as Klarna to afford school uniforms before the autumn term, according to a survey by the parenting charity Parentkind. Almost half (47%) of the 2,000 parents polled said they were worried about uniform costs, which can run into hundreds of pounds due to expensive branded items. More than a quarter (29%) said they had forgone food or heating to pay for uniforms.
Nearly half (45%) of those polled planned to use credit cards to pay for their children's school uniform, and a third (34%) said they would rely on Klarna-style delayed payment services. The survey highlighted the financial strain on families, with many forced into debt to cover costs that can reach £400 including PE kit.
Education Secretary Bridget Phillipson urged schools to reduce the number of branded items required as a matter of urgency, ahead of a legal limit of three branded items plus a branded tie for secondary and middle schools, which will be enforced from September 2026 under the government's children's wellbeing and schools bill. Phillipson said: 'School uniform matters but it shouldn't break the bank. No family should have to choose between putting food on the table and buying a new blazer.'
Currently, schools can require multiple branded items from specialist suppliers, but under the new legislation, parents will be able to buy cheaper uniform staples from general retailers. Nearly nine out of ten parents (86%) felt that wearing branded uniforms made no difference to behaviour.
Parentkind's chief executive, Jason Elsom, said: 'Parents have faced the crushing cost of sending their children to school for far too long. Limiting branded school uniform items will make a difference straight away.' Pepe Di'Iasio, general secretary of the Association of School and College Leaders, added: 'The rate of child poverty in the UK is simply appalling.'
The government has also announced that millions of families will receive their benefit payments before the August bank holiday this year, with payments due on 23-25 August paid early on 22 August. Minister for social security and disability Stephen Timms said: 'No family should have to choose between buying school supplies and putting food on the table.'
