Published on:
14
September 2023
The Council has agreed to increase the level of school clothing grants.
The move will see our grants become among the highest in Scotland, with payments for primary school age children going up from £120 to £140 and for secondary age children from £150 to £175.
These changes would be effective from this summer and parents who have already received their clothing grant would be paid the additional element of £20 and £25 by week ending 6 October.
The eligibility criteria for footwear and clothing grants and the grant level are set by each local authority.
This is in contrast to free school meals eligibility criteria which is set by the UK Government.
In 2022 Clackmannanshire Council agreed to align the eligibility criteria between free school meals and clothing grants, however the actual amounts paid have not been increased since 2021.
The new payments will bring our school clothing grants in line with the increases in inflation.
This year’s estimated cost to the Council for these increases is £41,140 which will be funded from the balance of the Council’s Covid recovery fund.
Councillor Graham Lindsay, education spokesperson, said: “The significant rise in inflation since 2021 continues to have an impact on many families in Clackmannanshire.
“Kitting out children for school is becoming more and more expensive with each passing year and these grant increases will offer extra support to families in need.
“Our focus is on helping as many children and families as we can and I am so proud that the increase in the grants will see our payments become among the best in he country.”
This latest move to help families will augment support already available to families in schools across Clackmannanshire.
Many Clackmannanshire schools, including our three academies, have projects, including a pre-loved ‘shop’, which see good quality, pre-loved items like clothing and other essentials being issued to any pupil who needs them.