Recent figures from the Children’s Society show that parents are spending over £300 a year on uniforms and hundreds of thousands of children across England are going to school wearing incorrect or ill-fitting uniforms. It is alarming that some parents have had to cut back on essentials like food to cover the cost of school uniforms, while children have been sent home for wearing the wrong uniform.  

The Education (Guidance about Costs of School Uniforms) Bill would require the Government to issue new statutory guidance to schools about the cost aspects of school uniform policies. This would ensure schools give priority to the consideration of cost and affordability when setting their policies.  

I hope this Bill will ensure hard-pressed parents do not suffer the indignity of their children being sent home for wearing the wrong uniform. I also hope it will free up money for parents to spend on activities for their kids during the summer holidays and above all, ensure no child is priced out of school. I am pleased this Bill passed its Second Reading in the House of Commons on 13 March 2020.  

Despite first promising to act on this issue in 2015, no Government legislation has been brought forward since then. It is therefore welcome that the current Government supports the Education (Guidance about Costs of School Uniforms) Bill. I hope this Bill will pass into law and that new statutory guidance will be issued as soon as possible.  

I can assure you I will continue to support action to tackle the cost of school uniforms.