Survey finds parents are starving and borrowing to cover spiralling costs of branded school uniforms

Parents across England are skipping meals, turning down heating and relying on credit to pay for their children’s school uniforms, according to a new survey that highlights the spiralling cost of branded items before the autumn term.

The poll of 2,000 parents conducted by the charity Parentkind found almost half were deeply worried about the expense of uniforms, which can run into hundreds of pounds each year. Twenty-nine per cent admitted they had already gone without food or heat to make sure their children had the clothing required, while nearly half said they planned to use credit cards to manage the bills. A third revealed they would turn to buy-now-pay-later services such as Klarna, effectively taking on debt to cover the basics of education.

Some families reported spending up to £400 once blazers, ties and sports kits from specialist suppliers were included. Schools often insist on multiple logo-stamped items, sometimes as many as 10, leaving parents with little choice but to pay inflated prices.

Education secretary Bridget Phillipson has urged schools to act now to ease the pressure. While legislation coming into force in September 2026 will limit schools to three branded items plus a tie, she called for voluntary changes to be made immediately. “School uniform matters, but it shouldn’t break the bank. No family should have to choose between putting food on the table and buying a new blazer,” she said. “Parents have told us they want fewer costly branded items – and that’s exactly what we’re delivering. Schools can help ease the pressure on families right now.”

Parentkind said the findings were evidence of an unfair burden on families. Its chief executive, Jason Elsom, described the results as “crushing”, pointing out that uniform costs were just part of a wider list of school-related expenses, from books and trips to laptops and transport. “For many families, the bills soar into the thousands every year. These reforms are the first real step towards ending that injustice,” he said. The charity’s research suggested that most parents favoured plain clothing that could be purchased cheaply from supermarkets, with logos added later if needed.

According to the survey, 86 per cent of parents felt branded clothing had no effect on pupil behaviour, while 83 per cent said unbranded items were just as good quality. More than 70 per cent said they would prefer to buy plain items and attach a logo themselves.

Teachers and school leaders have acknowledged the depth of the problem. Pepe Di’Iasio, general secretary of the Association of School and College Leaders, said the figures exposed the wider pressures families were facing. “Many families cannot afford basic amenities. The rate of child poverty in the UK is simply appalling. We hope to see the government publish a meaningful strategy to tackle this issue in the near future,” he said.

The government insists it is aware of the challenges, announcing that benefit payments due over the bank holiday weekend will be brought forward to help families ahead of the new school year. Payments due on 23, 24 and 25 August will instead be issued on Friday, 22 August. The minister for social security and disability, Stephen Timms, said the move was designed to ensure parents were not forced to choose between food and school supplies.

As households brace for the return to classrooms, the survey lays bare the stark choices facing many parents. For some, the pride of seeing their child in a crisp school blazer is now inseparable from the hunger pangs of skipped meals and the dread of rising debt.