Labour’s promise to restrict numbers of branded school uniform items explained - could it cost parents more?

• Labour has pledged to set a maximum number of branded school uniform items parents will have to buy.
• This is a bid to help families save money during the cost of living crisis.
• But critics say the move could end up costing parents more, as cheaper, unbranded items wear out more quickly.

Schools may soon only be able to make parents pay for a handful of branded uniform items - but there are conflicting reports around how much money it could really save.

In his recent speech to the new, Labour-led Parliament, King Charles outlined nearly 40 different bills the party planned to push through in the near future. Among them was a pledge to formally limit the number of branded school uniform pieces parents had to buy, in a bid to reduce costs for parents, the BBC reports.

This is one of a number of education-related policies to appear in Labour’s manifesto, and is not the only one aimed at levelling the playing field between students from different economic backgrounds. Others mooted include plans to introduce free school breakfast clubs to every primary school in England, mental health support staff in every school, and closing tax loopholes for private schools - to better fund public ones.

But why exactly are branded uniforms so high on Labour’s agenda - and is there any chance it could end up costing families more? Here’s everything you need to know:

What exactly is Labour proposing when it comes to school uniforms?

Wearing a uniform is the norm at British schools, and schools themselves have already been advised to limit the number of specific, school-branded items they get parents to buy.

However, Labour’s policy - first outlined by now-education secretary Bridget Phillipson late last year, according to political monitoring platform PolicyMogul - will set a hard limit. Parents will have to buy no more than three branded items, and school PE kits are to be included in that figure.

Phillipson said at the time that research had indicated school uniform prices had risen 30% over the last three years, well above the 13% increase in overall clothing costs. She said it was “wrong that parents are having to shell out hundreds of pounds to kit out kids for the new school term”, especially as families struggled to make ends meet during the cost of living crisis.

“That’s why Labour will limit the number of branded items of uniform families must buy, save them money, and make sure that every child gets a brilliant state education,” Phillipson added.

Will it really save parents money?

The Schoolwear Association, which represents everyone in the industry from manufacturers to retailers, does not believe the move will save families money in the long run. Chairman Matthew Easter says: “The school uniform industry is largely made up of small family-run high street businesses who have often worked with local schools in their community for generations. Placing an arbitrary limit on uniform items would put the majority of these businesses at risk - simply shifting sales to the big supermarkets instead.”

This would likely mean a shift away from higher-quality clothing, he continued, which often included branded clothes. This could mean “families will be left replacing cheaper, poor quality uniform garments on a more regular basis - creating a world of ‘haves’ and ‘have nots’ for children able to afford expensive brands for their blazer and sportswear, and those unable to do so”.

“Schools should be trusted to make the right choice for their school community, not be left forced to level down against their will,” Mr Easter added. So far, data around school uniform costs have been conflicting, so what impact the new policy could have remains to be seen.

Figures from the Schoolwear Association’s annual survey suggest that the average cost of compulsory secondary school uniform and sportswear items was £92.35. This meant a 25% price drop since guidance asking schools to limit branded items was introduced in Autumn 2021.

But a survey of more than 2,000 UK parents by the Children’s Society in May this year saw some 63% of them report that their child’s school had not updated their uniform policy since the new guidance. In 2023, its data showed that parents and carers of secondary school-aged children were paying an average of £422 for uniforms, More Radio reports, and £287 for primary school children.

School uniform banks can be another way to get the branded items your child needs cheaper second-hand, from others in your school community. The Fashion & Textile Children’s Trust has put together a directory of these across the UK. If you’re either seeking or looking to pass along your child’s old uniforms, you can search your local area online here.