LONDON, 3rd SEPTEMBER - In response to the UK Government's announcement of caps on branded school uniforms as part of a wider package including extending free school meals, Dan Paskins, Executive Director of UK Impact at Save the Children, said:
"Parents have told us all summer about their worries about the cost of their children returning to school. Today's announcement, alongside the new extension of free school meals and uniform grants, will remove some of that worry, and give families some breathing space to focus on supporting their children back to school."
"Nearly half of all parents we polled said that school uniform costs were their primary financial concern around their children returning to school. The Prime Minister is right to go further to push schools to work with suppliers, recognising the pressure the cost of uniform has put parents under. Financial concerns should never impact a child's education, and these announcements will help ensure more children can focus on learning instead of being worried about food at school and having the right uniform."
"We look forward to continuing to work with the UK Government on this issue and call on them to ensure take up of free school meals and uniform grants and deliver the same support throughout school holidays by expanding Healthy Start vouchers to those now eligible for free school meals."
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