A new survey by The Children’s Society indicates that almost half of parents with children in school in the North East find the cost of school uniforms prohibitive despite legislative efforts to make them more affordable.

In a poll involving 2,000 UK parents, it has emerged that the expense of school uniforms continues to impose a significant financial burden with families shelling out hundreds of pounds annually.

The 2022 legislation aimed to bring down these costs by enforcing more budget-friendly uniform policies in schools, including the promotion of second-hand options and limiting exclusive single-supplier contracts.

Mark Russell, CEO at The Children’s Society said:

"For the last two years the high cost of living has put families under intense financial strain, so it is no wonder parents are feeling the pinch and are quite rightly fed up with having to pay more than they need to for their children’s school uniform."

In 2023, The Children’s Society found that parents and carers of secondary school children were paying on average £422 per year on uniform, and around £287 for primary school children.