School Uniform - should Government pay the shortfall?

Lucan Unlordly · Aug 10, 2026

With a new law coming into play in September that limits the number of school uniform items parents have to buy, there will undoubtedly be a hole in the income that schools have relied on for many years.
My only toe in this market was for end of year 'Leaver' t-shirts featuring all of the pupil's names which were never a must buy but one school I served would use money from uniform sales to ensure poorer children didn't miss out. Another relied on the uniform income to buy basic essentials such as pencils and paper.

Has this loss of income been considered by the powers that be?

fisicx · Aug 10, 2026

Don't parents get the uniforms from the supermarkets? Out local Sainsbury's already has them in stock.

https://tuclothing.sainsburys.co.uk/browse/school-uniform/c:842024/

Newchodge · Aug 11, 2026

Lucan Unlordly said:
With a new law coming into play in September that limits the number of school uniform items parents have to buy, there will undoubtedly be a hole in the income that schools have relied on for many years.
My only toe in this market was for end of year 'Leaver' t-shirts featuring all of the pupil's names which were never a must buy but one school I served would use money from uniform sales to ensure poorer children didn't miss out. Another relied on the uniform income to buy basic essentials such as pencils and paper.

Has this loss of income been considered by the powers that be?

I doubt it, but I don't think many Academies are that short of money.

DontAsk · Aug 11, 2026

Most schools IME have PTAs who organise second-hand uniform sales, so the schools themselves can't be that desperate to make all parents buy new.

Lucan Unlordly · Aug 11, 2026

fisicx said:
Don't parents get the uniforms from the supermarkets? Out local Sainsbury's already has them in stock.

https://tuclothing.sainsburys.co.uk/browse/school-uniform/c:842024/

That looks like unbranded stock, no school badge etc., which is where the costs spiral.

The missus tells me our young grand daughter's badged Hoody is £25+

Lucan Unlordly · Aug 11, 2026

DontAsk said:
Most schools IME have PTAs who organise second-hand uniform sales, so the schools themselves can't be that desperate to make all parents buy new.

Yes, a reaction to the inflated prices if buying new?

fisicx · Aug 11, 2026

Why are we still requiring children to wear ties and blazers?

Surely a cheaper and simpler uniform would be polo and sweat shirts.

Lucan Unlordly · Aug 11, 2026

fisicx said:
Why are we still requiring children to wear ties and blazers?

Surely a cheaper and simpler uniform would be polo and sweat shirts.

Uniform appearance, smart and helps stop brand snobbery amongst those who can and those who can't afford to keep up?

fisicx · Aug 11, 2026

Lucan Unlordly said:
Uniform appearance, smart and helps stop brand snobbery amongst those who can and those who can't afford to keep up?

I agree with the school uniform. Just not the ties and blazers. The school opposite us has infants wearing ties.

DontAsk · Aug 11, 2026

Lucan Unlordly said:
Uniform appearance, smart and helps stop brand snobbery amongst those who can and those who can't afford to keep up?

I agree on banning designer trainers, etc., but requiring expensive embroidered logos doesn't help those that cannot.

Paul Norman · Aug 12, 2026

By government, you of course mean you and I. I am hoping not, in that case.

The uniform/cost of clothing your kids debate comes out every year around now since I was at school. And that was a very long time ago.

I am sure my parents sighed deeply at the cost of my uniform, which was certainly more items than the news item suggests. The big one, I remember, was actually sports wear as we had to have two rugby shirts and a pair of rugby boots.

fisicx · Aug 12, 2026

Paul Norman said:
The big one, I remember, was actually sports wear as we had to have two rugby shirts and a pair of rugby boots.

Same here. And I never once played Rugby.

Paul Norman · Aug 12, 2026

fisicx said:
Same here. And I never once played Rugby.

My rugby skills were so lacking I took no active part.

DWS · Aug 12, 2026

Paul Norman said:
By government, you of course mean you and I. I am hoping not, in that case.

The uniform/cost of clothing your kids debate comes out every year around now since I was at school. And that was a very long time ago.

I am sure my parents sighed deeply at the cost of my uniform, which was certainly more items than the news item suggests. The big one, I remember, was actually sports wear as we had to have two rugby shirts and a pair of rugby boots.

We had reversable rugby tops so we could never clash!

Ozzy · Aug 12, 2026

Newchodge said:
I doubt it, but I don't think many Academies are that short of money.

From the handful of academies I've been involved with, they are only just managing to stay afloat and if it wasn't for random 'top up' funding the LA's dish out occasionally many schools would have closed by now.
The biggest issues causing the schools to run out of funds is energy costs and staff salary increases. All unmatched, unfunded, by government (despite what the politicians claim on TV).

To answer the OP though, school uniform income is generally insignificant for the schools. The ones I knwo typically apply no, or almost no, markup on the charges and often any income is put towards supporting the 'free school meals' cohort.

fisicx · Aug 12, 2026

I asked my sister (who works in a junior school). Many parents donate too-small uniforms to the school at the end of the year which are then resold for pennies. The cash pays for unfunded equipment

Newchodge · Aug 13, 2026

Ozzy said:
From the handful of academies I've been involved with, they are only just managing to stay afloat and if it wasn't for random 'top up' funding the LA's dish out occasionally many schools would have closed by now.
The biggest issues causing the schools to run out of funds is energy costs and staff salary increases. All unmatched, unfunded, by government (despite what the politicians claim on TV).

To answer the OP though, school uniform income is generally insignificant for the schools. The ones I knwo typically apply no, or almost no, markup on the charges and often any income is put towards supporting the 'free school meals' cohort.

Perhaps the Academies should consider whether the salary level of non-academic staff and some head teachers is appropriate?

Ozzy · Aug 13, 2026

Newchodge said:
Perhaps the Academies should consider whether the salary level of non-academic staff and some head teachers is appropriate?

I'm sure there will be some that may pay unbalanced salaries of course, like there are in every industry sector. Although it does also need to be proportionate to the role. If a company employs 500x staff and turns over £40M in revenue, and is based within the M25 circle, what salary would you expect a CEO to be paid?

Newchodge · Aug 13, 2026

Ozzy said:
I'm sure there will be some that may pay unbalanced salaries of course, like there are in every industry sector. Although it does also need to be proportionate to the role. If a company employs 500x staff and turns over £40M in revenue, and is based within the M25 circle, what salary would you expect a CEO to be paid?

That is the problem. Education should not be a profit making business, paying salaries that are commensurate with running a business.

Ozzy · Aug 13, 2026

Newchodge said:
Education should not be a profit making business

I'm not sure where you are coming from, academies are not profit-making businesses. They are not allowed to make a profit; it is a legal requirement, as per the academy's handbook issued by the DfE, that they do not.

Newchodge said:
salaries that are commensurate with running a business

A charity is a business, and academies are a registered charity.

DontAsk · Aug 13, 2026

Newchodge said:
That is the problem. Education should not be a profit making business, paying salaries that are commensurate with running a business.

They don't make a profit.

Salaries need to be at a a level to attract the right staff, whether teaching or not.

At our local school that is definitely not the case with non-teaching staff, who get just above minimum wage, yet can be in charge of 50+ pupils. SWMBO often comes home with horror stories about other staff members. They struggle to get anyone better on the wages they pay.

Newchodge · Aug 13, 2026

DontAsk said:
They don't make a profit.

Salaries need to be at a a level to attract the right staff, whether teaching or not.

At our local school that is definitely not the case with non-teaching staff, who get just above minimum wage, yet can be in charge of 50+ pupils. SWMBO often comes home with horror stories about other staff members. They struggle to get anyone better on the wages they pay.

By non-teaching staff I meant managers, business managers, heads of finance etc. I class people in charge of pupils as teaching staff, although they are not teachers.

ethical PR · Aug 19, 2026

Lucan Unlordly said:
With a new law coming into play in September that limits the number of school uniform items parents have to buy, there will undoubtedly be a hole in the income that schools have relied on for many years.
My only toe in this market was for end of year 'Leaver' t-shirts featuring all of the pupil's names which were never a must buy but one school I served would use money from uniform sales to ensure poorer children didn't miss out. Another relied on the uniform income to buy basic essentials such as pencils and paper.

Has this loss of income been considered by the powers that be?

Parents don't buy uniforms from schools . What are you talking about?

tony84 · Aug 19, 2026

ethical PR said:
Parents don't buy uniforms from schools . What are you talking about?

Local manufacturers are given the rights to make the uniform.
I imagine there is some deal there where either the manufacturers pay for those rights or pay per item sold.

The school still benefits from parents buying branded uniform and I suppose it is a valid point about school funding being lower because of it.

Newchodge · Aug 19, 2026

tony84 said:
Local manufacturers are given the rights to make the uniform.
I imagine there is some deal there where either the manufacturers pay for those rights or pay per item sold.

The school still benefits from parents buying branded uniform and I suppose it is a valid point about school funding being lower because of it.

Also the schools (or, probably the PTAs) have pre-worn uniform sales.

Lucan Unlordly · Aug 24, 2026

ethical PR said:
Parents don't buy uniforms from schools . What are you talking about?

1: "Exceptionally for a state grammar school, they manage their own Uniform shop located in the East basement of the school grounds. They handle their own online portal, on-site card payments, and host dedicated summer fitting days."

2: Features a dedicated, school-run campus shop that provides their complete tailored uniform, games kit, and necessary boarding accessories.

ethical PR · Aug 25, 2026

tony84 said:
Local manufacturers are given the rights to make the uniform.
I imagine there is some deal there where either the manufacturers pay for those rights or pay per item sold.

The school still benefits from parents buying branded uniform and I suppose it is a valid point about school funding being lower because of it.

Not necessarily with most state schools you can buy uniforms anywhere apart from branded items.

tony84 · Aug 25, 2026

ethical PR said:
Not necessarily with most state schools you can buy uniforms anywhere apart from branded items.

You have confused me...

The point I was making was only about branded items.

My daughter hasnt had anything branded for the school since infants - we did that new parent thing. Then realised you can spend half the price at M&S or George or somewhere.

Clodbuster · Aug 26, 2026

Perhaps some parents should consider the necessity of a second holiday rather than outfitting your child to obtain the best resources of an expensive education that is free anyway.

fisicx · Aug 26, 2026

Clodbuster said:
Perhaps some parents should consider the necessity of a second holiday rather than outfitting your child to obtain the best resources of an expensive education that is free anyway.

Many parents can’t afford even one holiday.

Clodbuster · Aug 26, 2026

fisicx said:
Many parents can’t afford even one holiday.

Very very few, the majority spend on un-necessary items and then claim poverty.

fisicx · Aug 26, 2026

Clodbuster said:
Very very few, the majority spend on un-necessary items and then claim poverty.

a lot more than very few. A local school has over 40% on free school meals. Poverty is prevalent in many areas.

Clodbuster · Aug 26, 2026

Of course they are on free school meals, that does not mean they are poor. Simply climbing on the socialist band wagon.

fisicx · Aug 26, 2026

Clodbuster said:
Of course they are on free school meals, that does not mean they are poor.

Yes it does.

tony84 · Aug 27, 2026

I think free school meals are given in infants to all kids - I have a 9 year old and we were given free school meals in infants.

That being said, at some point in year 1, we stopped them as she was basically have a cheese sandwich every day (her choice was cheese sandwich, cheese on potato, pizza). When we seen the cheese sandwich we decided to stop it... She still has a cheese sandwich now, but the difference is this one has lettuce, cucumber, some fruit, more cheese and less bread.

I dont really agree with free school meals for all kids. I dont know why tax payers should be supporting my child - I chose to have a kid, I can afford to feed her. Going back to my last paragraph, I would much rather parents who can afford to pay for school meals do. In exchange kids whose parents cant afford to pay, getting more than white bread and a bit of grated cheese.

But the school as a whole, we live in a reasonably nice area, I doubt many of the parents need the govt to subsidise school meals. That money would be far better spent on giving other kids better food.

I was a kid of the 90s. We had chicken pie, beef pie, meatballs... Actual meat! Actual veg! My mum was a kid of the 70s and she grew up in one of the poorest areas in the country and they had proper cuts of meat! Why are kids being short changed?!

Scalloway · Aug 27, 2026

If you stop free meals for the better off then you stigmatise the poor who are means tested. And you have the cost of administration.

tony84 · Aug 27, 2026

They only get stigmatised if they know about it. In infants/juniors, there is no reason for the other kids to know. It gets dealt with by parents/school office, same queues in school etc.

When I do school pick up, there are 5 dads I speak to - I know 3 of them are on 6 figure salaries and I know the other 2 are on probably £60-80k based on their jobs.

Nobody should be paying for their kids school meals. Just like they should not be paying for my daughters meals.

I dont know what the answer is, trust basis maybe? It is a fair point about the cost of managing it though.

kordan.walker · Friday at 12:33 PM

Lucan Unlordly said:
With a new law coming into play in September that limits the number of school uniform items parents have to buy, there will undoubtedly be a hole in the income that schools have relied on for many years.
My only toe in this market was for end of year 'Leaver' t-shirts featuring all of the pupil's names which were never a must buy but one school I served would use money from uniform sales to ensure poorer children didn't miss out. Another relied on the uniform income to buy basic essentials such as pencils and paper.

Has this loss of income been considered by the powers that be?

It’s an important point. Reducing the cost of uniforms for parents is welcome, but schools still need funding to cover basic essentials and support families who are struggling. Hopefully the government has considered how schools will make up any shortfall.

tony84 · 2026-09-09T12:07:20+0100

My daughter has been back to school 5 days including today.
How many times do you think we have been asked for money?

School Uniform - should Government pay the shortfall?

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