As the winter is creeping closer and energy bills are set to soar, parents across Scotland can still get help with the cost of school clothing.
By getting in touch with their local council, parents can receive financial support for school clothing and footwear for the academic year 2022/23, as per Daily Record. The scheme is through the 'School Clothing Grant', and it's a cash payment worth at least £120 which is directly paid into your bank account.
Everyone who gets a School Clothing Grant will be given at least £120 per child of primary school age, and £150 secondary school age. Applications are open until the end of March 2023, with payments typically made before the new school year starts in August - though it can depend on the council.
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The increase has been made in a bid to help families during the cost of living crisis and will be applicable only for the academic year 2022/23. Two councils have been allocated additional monies from the Scottish Government, which means they are offering £240 per eligible primary school child and £300 per eligible secondary school child.
Parents can also apply for free school meals in and out of term time. You can read below on how to apply.
Free school meals in and out of term time
While children are not automatically entitled to meal payments during the holidays, all children in primary 1 to 5 receive universal free school meals. During the holidays, free meals must be applied for.
You may be able to apply for free school meals at the same time as you apply for the School Clothing Grant, your local council website will advise you.
Find out more about this on the mygov.scot website here.
School Clothing Grant eligibility
This can vary between local authorities, but typically, you can apply for a grant if you or your family receives:
- Income Support
- Income-based Job Seeker's Allowance (JSA)
- Any income related element of Employment and Support Allowance (ESA)
- Child Tax Credit, but not Working Tax Credit, and your annual income is less than £16,105
- Both Child Tax Credit and Working Tax Credit with an annual income of less than £7,500
- Universal Credit with a monthly take home pay of less than £625
If you are between 16 and 18 years old and receive any of these benefits in your own right, you can apply for a School Clothing Grant for yourself.
How to apply
You need to apply for the grant through your local council, which is simple and quick to do.
Find a direct link to your local council’s dedicated page for School Clothing Grants on the mygov.scot website here.
Scottish council School Clothing Grants 2022/23
Below are the rates of payment for the clothing grant by council.
East Ayrshire Council
- £120 per child of primary school
- £150 per child of secondary school age
East Dunbartonshire Council
- £240 per child of primary school
- £300 per child of secondary school age
East Renfrewshire Council
- £120 per child of primary school
- £150 per child of secondary school age
Glasgow City Council
- £120 per child of primary school
- £150 per child of secondary school age
Inverclyde Council
- £150 per child of primary school
- £150 per child of secondary school age
North Ayrshire Council
- £120 per child of primary school
- £150 per child of secondary school age
North Lanarkshire Council
- £140 per child of primary school
- £150 per child of secondary school age
Renfrewshire Council
- £120 per child of primary school
- £150 per child of secondary school age
South Ayrshire Council
- £120 per child of primary school
- £150 per child of secondary school age
South Lanarkshire Council
- £130 per child of primary school
- £150 per child of secondary school age
West Dunbartonshire Council - eligibility is different, find out more here
- £300 per child of primary school
- £300 per child of secondary school age
This will be paid in two £150 instalments over the academic year with the first payment being made once your application has been processed and a second payment being made around the end of December 2022.
For more information about help with school clothing costs, visit the mygov.scot website, here.
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