A Kent food bank that offers free school uniforms says full-time and self-employed professionals are among the families relying on its support. The Community Cupboard has begun offering pre-loved school uniforms to local families during the school holidays from its West Kingsdown and Swanley sites.
The volunteer-run service provides food supplies and support to families struggling to make ends meet. Founder Tracey Wood said the charity, which has been running for seven years, is still seeing many working households turn to it for help.
“We're still seeing lots of working families, it's not just those that aren't working,”
Wood said the charity helped “a lot of teachers, teaching assistants, a lot of hospital staff, self-employed”.
“The money they have each month coming in is what's going out so once something goes wrong – be it the car, the washing machine – it just tips them over,”
Wood, who is a teaching assistant, said the pressure can be especially hard during the summer.
“Although I'm paid throughout the summer, it's still it's not enough to pay for something every single day.”
Laura, a full-time carer for her husband and children, said the service was vital for her family.
“You don't get any help, and this is the only place we come to for help.”
She said her children would have to wear uniforms too small for them without the uniform bank.
“Or I'd have to try and ask the school for more help,”
Why are school uniform costs such a problem?
Because branded items can quickly push prices up, families often find it hard to afford replacement uniforms when children grow. Agata, who has three children, said she had received “massive support” from the charity.
Her two eldest children fit their uniforms from the last school year, but her youngest needed new uniform with school logos.
“If I can get anything second hand, it is a massive help because when you have that logo requirement the prices go triple straight away,”
“I'm not the person that usually asks for help, but I think then children are really the one that's paying the price at the moment.”
From September, schools cannot mandate more than three uniform items to have school branding. Secondary schools can additionally require a branded tie.
What are campaigners saying?
Mark Russell, chief executive of The Children's Society, said parents were being pushed into debt during the school holidays and some were missing meals.
“Anything that can save families money and make their lives easier has got to be a good thing,”
He said the organisation would keep monitoring the cost of school uniform under the new rules.
“We're going to keep an eye on the cost of uniform, even with these new changes, and if we need to campaign for further change then we'll do that.”
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Key Facts
- The Community Cupboard operates from West Kingsdown and Swanley in Kent.
- The charity has been running for seven years and is volunteer-run.
- From September, schools cannot require more than three branded uniform items; secondary schools can also require a branded tie.
- Tracey Wood said the service supports working families including teachers, teaching assistants, hospital staff and self-employed people.
