FINANCIAL BURDEN OF SCHOOL UNIFORMS

That this House notes the ongoing issue that many families around the country face regarding the cost of school uniforms; further notes the findings of The Children’s Society study entitled The Wrong Blazer from 2018 which showed that one million children live in families across England who are getting into debt to meet the rising cost of school uniforms; acknowledges that in many communities secondary school uniforms are being provided by one supplier with the effect that the monopoly on that particular uniform stagnates price competition; is concerned that this has been especially problematic in the past few years with the introduction of academies and other schools causing families to purchase a whole new uniform causing further financial hardship; and calls upon the Government to make school uniforms a non-profit business, so that the price of uniforms can fall and relieve a financial burden to many families across the country.