School uniform cost-cutting

The average cost of a uniform for a year is around £300 per child if you purchase brand new which, even if you budget throughout the year, could leave many struggling to pay bills or buy food. This is one of the reasons I started the LS12 Uniform Scheme shortly after the pandemic. People were struggling financially and when it came to the end of the school year I realised that the majority of items were nearly new due to not being worn. The scheme helps supply clothing to those who may be struggling to meet the costs of uniform pieces, local children’s services and foster families, as well as those trying to do their bit to help save the environment. Over the past couple of months, I've seen an increase in requests as people try to find ways to reduce their expenses and I expect this will continue as the cost of living continues to rise.

We'd love to suggest buying bits of uniform second-hand as a way to save costs and help the planet at the same time. We’re an online second hand kids clothes shop www.buildabundle.co.uk and often get school uniform in that's still in great condition - you wouldn't be able to tell what had been bought new and what had been bought second-hand. As a full-time working parent myself I tend to buy 5 full sets of uniform so that I can wash and iron them all at the weekend (as I don't have time to do it during the week with work). With 3 kids to buy for this can get expensive - and also means the uniform doesn't get worn that often, because each set is only worn for 7 hours once a week, and often is outgrown before being outworn. Buying some bits second-hand can save a fortune on the big school uniform bill for parents, and is also more sustainable! Our website sells plain generic non-logo items such as trousers, skirts and pinafore dresses, plus coats. We don’t do logo items as we are nationwide, however we are starting to see that more and more schools seem to be starting their own preloved uniform sales for their own logo items, which is great to see. With the recent DFE government guidance published in November 2021 requiring schools to make uniform more affordable, we hope we will see more of this happening!

For uniform that you have to buy new, cashback websites allow you to make some money back on these purchases. At Shop For Climate change we offer 2.4% back on M&S school wear (https://shopforclimatechange.com/store/marks-and-spencer/) or 4% back from George at Asda (https://shopforclimatechange.com/store/asda-george/). You can even find cashback on second hand uniform through brands such as eBay and Preloved. We plant trees with every purchase so you can help the planet as well as your wallet, and you can choose to donate some of your cashback to plant even more trees.