Free school uniform bank in Suffolk ‘vital’ say parents

For parents across Suffolk and further afield, buying school uniforms can prove pricey – setting them back hundreds of pounds per child.

Add in a recent increase in inflation, and the cost of kitting out the kids has become increasingly unaffordable for some families.

Some parents use school uniform banks where they can pick up everything from blazers, trousers and ties to clean underwear and shoes for free.

It is a service that can make a huge difference – but, as some parents at a uniform bank in Beccles have been telling us, it is a service that should perhaps not be needed at all.

“They shouldn’t have to be a thing, absolutely not, but they are a godsend and a blessing and they are just brilliant and really useful,” said 40-year-old Becky Mather.

“I have two teenage boys who grow very quickly, so you have to renew their stuff every year and you are looking at £100 per child at least.

“If they want the kids to wear a uniform they should issue a set of uniforms per child and then you just have to replace it if they break it, or make them more affordable.

“I am living on benefits at the moment and you just cannot afford uniform from your regular money – not if you want to eat at the same time. It’s a real struggle.”

Uniform banks work in a similar way to foodbanks, in that they give people-in-need the opportunity to pick up essentials at no cost.

The latest data from the Department for Education (DfE) shows the average cost of a full uniform and PE kit for secondary school is £442.

Primary school parents can expect to fork out £343.

In Beccles at the St Luke’s Church Centre, for example, Natalie Hull, 37, came away with a summer dress, a school skirt, a new tie, shirts, two polo shirts and new underwear.

“Somewhere like this is absolutely brilliant and it really helps out, because it is just a non-stop expense,” said the mother-of-two.

“I don’t know who is to blame – it’s just the economy, the uniforms being overpriced and the cost of living has gone up.

“We make cut-backs on trips and we haven’t been on a holiday abroad for years because we just cannot afford it.

“Nine times out of 10 I will get a second-hand uniform because new it is just extortionate.”

Earlier this year the government told schools that the number of compulsory branded items that they would be able to make parents purchase would be reduced.

It said seven in 10 secondary schools and 35% of primary schools in England could request three branded items, and a branded tie for secondary students.

The new rule was part of the Children’s Wellbeing and Schools Bill, which still has several parliamentary stages to go through before becoming law.

“All the branded stuff is what costs the money – if you could have blazers and add your own patch then it would save an absolutely fortune,” said Laura Brockwell, 40.

“I work full-time but it’s still not enough to cover everyday living and then also uniform and shoes – is just extortionate.

“We’ve had to cut back on days out because that’s just expensive – if you have to choose between food and going out then you are going to choose food and uniforms.

“But that’s the way of living at the moment, unfortunately.”

Existing statutory guidance requires schools to consider the cost of their uniform so that it is not a deciding factor for parents when choosing schools.

The government claims parents will save around £50 per child through its new school uniform measures, which it plans to introduce in September 2026.

Fran Tuck, warden at St Luke’s Church Centre in Beccles, hoped it would make a difference.

“People are struggling and it seems such a shame they have to decide between buying uniform or having decent food,” she said.

“In an ideal world a uniform bank, like foodbanks and parish pantries, would not exist.

“But, unfortunately, people are living on the breadline and it is very difficult if you have three children and you are on a minimal income. Life is very hard.”