The school uniform help you can get in your area

We asked all North East councils what support is being offered to parents who need new uniform for their children - here is what they said Sign up for free to get the latest North East news and

We asked all North East councils what support is being offered to parents who need new uniform for their children - here is what they said

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Back to school shopping for children can be a costly affair - and new uniform can especially put a dent in family budgets.

Whether you are buying new trousers, skirts, shirts, school shoes or PE kit, costs can quickly add up for parents. But thankfully there is some help available for those who are struggling financially.

We asked all the councils in the North East what support is being offered to parents who need uniform for their children as they make preparations for the new school term in September. We have outlined the information they provided and their advice below, broken down by each local authority area.

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A Newcastle City Council spokesperson said: “Unfortunately, like many other local authorities, there is no direct support from the council to support costs of school uniform. As a council we are doing our best to support families with free school meals for children, free holiday activities and financial support. We advise any concerned parents/carers to contact their child’s school if they are having difficulties regarding school uniform.”

It may be useful for parents to contact their local children and families hub to see if they offer any help. More information on these hubs can be found here.

Coun Steven Phillips, cabinet member for inclusion, employment and skills at North Tyneside Council, said: “We know the cost of school uniform can be a concern for some and we have lots of support available in the borough to help parents and carers. While we don’t have a grant system in place, we work closely with our local schools and community schemes to help provide uniform and equipment for those in need.

"We’re working directly with 29 schools to help them establish their own school uniform support schemes which include pre-loved uniform and swap shops. It’s fantastic to see these initiatives taking shape throughout the borough to support families and reduce clothing waste and I know they have a big impact on supporting their school community throughout the school year."

The council has supported 29 schools with setting up swap shop schemes, purchasing uniform and refreshing policy. Most schools now have a swap shop scheme of their own. The list of schools is as follows:

In South Tyneside, more than 1,000 families whose children are starting or moving schools are to receive extra financial help towards the cost of school uniform.

South Tyneside Council is to give supermarket vouchers to families in receipt of free school meals whose children will join Reception, start secondary school in Year 7 or will move into junior school at Year 3 from an infant school. The vouchers are worth £40 for children moving into reception or are moving into Year 3 at a junior school and £70 for those starting secondary school.

In addition, every school will be given a payment of £600 to help support families who aren’t eligible for free school meals with the costs of school uniform. Coun Jane Carter, lead member for education and skills, said: “We recognise that school uniform is a significant expense, particularly for those families who have children starting or moving schools. As the cost-of-living crisis continues to bite, we hope this will provide some much-needed relief.

"We know that schools do great work to provide and recycle uniforms and this is not meant to replace that. This is simply about helping families meet these additional costs in these incredibly challenging times and is part of the council and wider partnership’s approach to reducing poverty in the borough."

Caroline Marshall, headteacher at Marsden Primary School, said: “The vouchers our families receive from South Tyneside Council are so important. Summer holidays are an expensive time for everyone, time away from school means extra food bills and energy bills at an already difficult time. Alongside this, the expense of uniform can be something that families struggle with.

"We value the vouchers that we can give to families who meet the criteria, however this year, the extra £600 will allow us to allocate money to those high risk families who are struggling or just need an extra boost to allow them to make the purchases they need ready for September."

In Northumberland, more than 10,000 children who receive free school meals during term time will also receive £100 in vouchers from the DWP Household Support Fund that can be used towards food, fuel and other essentials including school uniform. Eligible families will have been communicated with via their school.

Meanwhile, community-based uniform services and groups around Northumberland are holding a week-long uniform collection to encourage families to recycle clothing while also helping others. Good quality uniform, coats, shoes, PE kits and bags can be dropped off at various locations across the county between Monday August 7 and Monday August 14.

Following the donation period, the pre-loved uniforms will be sorted by volunteers and made available via a network of local groups and organisations at either a significantly reduced cost, no cost or pay-as-you feel basis, with any money raised being ploughed back into their work to support their communities.

Coun Guy Renner-Thompson, cabinet member with responsibility for children’s services, said: “A huge thank you to all the community groups and volunteers who are collecting and redistributing good-quality pre-loved school uniform around the county. So often uniform is quickly outgrown, or children move on to new schools, so it makes sense to donate good quality items of clothing and stop them going to landfill.

“I would encourage anyone and everyone to use community uniform services. You would be helping reduce clothing waste while helping yourself and others at the same time.”

Information on drop off locations can be found here. And services in Northumberland that provide good quality preloved school uniforms can be found here.

Northumbria Healthcare NHS Foundation Trust’s Bright Charity is also collecting preloved uniform throughout the summer holidays, with drop-off points located at their hospital sites. Some schools may also have their own uniform support process in place and people can contact their child's school to find out.

The council is not able to offer grants for school uniforms but it has useful information on its website to try to help parents, including details of a pre-loved uniform scheme.

It says: "The rising cost of school uniforms can be a struggle for parents and carers. Many of our schools now allow you to buy cheaper, unbranded uniform items, or offer uniform swaps through their own recycling schemes. Please check with your school on what support they can offer.

"There are also charities in Gateshead who support residents with the cost of school uniform, such as the Gateshead West Pre-loved School Uniform Scheme. The scheme accepts donations of all good quality uniform that can be reused, whether school branded or not. The service is donation based, so residents only pay what they can, if they can."

You can find information about the Gateshead West Uniform Scheme here.

A spokesperson from Sunderland City Council said: "We continue to encourage parents to speak to the school their child attends about grants, vouchers or charitable support towards clothing costs. Further information is here: School Uniform Support - Sunderland City Council."

The website lists some ways families can seek help, such as:

Second Chance Community Shop

The community shop offers free preloved school uniform for all as well as being able to purchase other quality affordable clothes. For more information, contact Wendy on 07925858184, email: [email protected] or visit their Facebook page.

Fulwell Community School Uniform Scheme

This community uniform scheme offers preloved uniform for various schools across the city. For more information email [email protected] or visit their Facebook page.

Building Block Day Centre

This Washington based organisation have a uniform shop offering preloved school items for a recommended donation of 20p per item - the donation is not essential). For more information email [email protected].

Community Centres

Farringdon Youth and Community Centre have a distribution centre that collects and distributes preloved, local school uniforms free of charge. For more information contact [email protected]

Silksworth Youth and Community Centre have preloved uniform items for Silksworth Academy and Venerable Bede schools. For more information ring 0191 523 8000.

Moneywise Credit Union

The council has partnered with Moneywise Credit Union to offer affordable credit and savings. The Family Loan has been created for families or individuals who receive child benefit and want an extra helping hand.

'Family Loan' allows all families/individuals in receipt of child benefit to have a loan of up to £750 from the Credit Union without having a credit check - this will be conditional upon child benefit being paid directly from the Department for Work and Pensions to the Credit Union. For more information visit School Uniform Loans - Moneywise or ring 0191 276 7963.

Durham County Council says many schools now allow you to buy cheaper, unbranded uniform items, or offer uniform swaps. People are advised to check with their school and ask what they offer.

There are also some organisations throughout the county that can help with new and preloved school uniforms. You can see the list of places from where to get school uniform here.

In addition, lots of schools have their own Facebook pages where uniforms can be swapped and donated and there are many dedicated school uniform Facebook groups across the county. You can find one in your area by searching school uniform on Facebook.

A Family Loan

If you are in receipt of child benefit and require help with buying items for school you can apply for a NE First Credit Union Family Loans. This could provide you with a loan of up to £500 without having a credit check - this will be conditional upon an affordability check and child benefit being paid directly from the Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) to the Credit Union.

A Family Loan allows you to access a cash loan up front to purchase the required items as well as giving you the option to saving something each month for the future.

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The school uniform help you can get in your area