Financial assistance with the cost of school clothing increased to £140 for Highland pupils

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The financial support available for many families in Highland towards the costs of school clothing has been increased from £90 per pupil per annum to £140 from academic year 2018/19.

Working in partnership with CoSLA, the Scottish Government has agreed that all Scottish Councils will provide a minimum £100 school clothing grant for eligible families from academic year 2018/19.

For 2017/18, the Highland Council provided a grant of £90 per school pupil per annum, the 5th highest rate in Scotland, which was fully funded from the Council’s Revenue budget. During 2017/18, more than 3,700 Highland pupils benefited from a school clothing grant. 

The additional funding provided by the Scottish Government from 2018/19 will be allocated to top up the existing rate, taking the Council’s grant amount to £140 per pupil. This exceeds the £100 minimum amount agreed with the Scottish Government by £40 from academic year 2018/19.

Councillor Alister MacKinnon, Chair of the Council’s Corporate Resources Committee said “Passing on 100% the funding from the Scottish Government for school clothing grants is the right thing to do for our school pupils.”

“The austerity cuts continue to place many families in financial hardship and low income families in Highland. By providing a grant of £140 per pupil per annum will help our learners to participate in school life and ease the financial pressures for parents and carers.  I urge all eligible families to apply for this grant.”

Councillor Andrew Baxter, Chair of the Council’s Care, Learning and Housing Committee said “Providing this level of financial assistance with the costs of school clothing for eligible families means that Highland pupils are better equipped to attend school and to focus on their education without the stigma of wearing clothes that simply don’t fit.  Assisting parents and carers with the costs of school clothing can help to alleviate poverty in the Highlands. ”

Leader of the Council Councillor Margaret Davidson , and Chair of the Poverty & Inequalities Working Group, commented that “The average cost of clothing primary and secondary school pupils in Highland is now estimated to range from around £106 to £130 per pupil which is a significant outlay for parents.  I very much welcome this increase in school clothing grant as it helps to reduce inequalities for Highland families and is one of the measures being taken to proactively address poverty, and in particular child poverty.”

Applications are now being invited for the academic year starting in August 2018.  To streamline the application process, the Council has a single application form for school clothing grants and free school meals.  Applications can be made online at www.highland.gov.uk/schoolmealsandclothinggrants.  

Alternatively, application forms are available from the Councils Operations Team on 01463 703645. 

Help with the completion of the application form is also available from the Council’s Welfare Support Team which can be contacted on Freephone 0800 090 1004.