Cash boost for families in Wales to help with costs of school uniform and PE kits

A £13m support package has been made available to help eligible families in Wales pay for school uniforms and PE kits.

The new funding is part of the Welsh Government’s Household Support Fund and is aimed at providing direct help to households struggling to meet the rising costs-of-living.

Families who are eligible will be able to access the new funding through the Pupil Development Grant (PDG) which will provide a one-off payment of £100 in 2022-23 academic year to help with the costs associated with sending their children to school.

The Welsh Government recently announced plans to extend the PDG Access Grant to learners in all school years who are eligible for free school meals, along with an extra £21.4m to extend free school meal provision through the Easter, Whitsun and summer holidays.

Those currently eligible for free school meals can already apply for a grant of £125 per child with an extra grant of £200 when they enter year 7 to mitigate the additional costs of starting secondary school.

Families with children in reception through to year 11 who are eligible for free school meals can apply for the grant and all looked-after children qualify whether or not they have free school meals.

Cost-of-living crisis

The extra help comes as the cost-of-living crisis deepens with as fuel and energy prices soaring as a result of the war in Ukraine, the removal of the energy price cap and the UK Government National Insurance increases due to come into force new month.

Jeremy Miles, Welsh Labour Minister for Education and Welsh Language said: “In the midst of this Tory cost-of-living crisis, household budgets are under significant pressure and many parents will be worried about how they can afford the things their children need for school.

“Those families in receipt of the PDG Access Grant will already be using the £200 to help pay for their children’s school uniform.

“This extra payment will help cover other costs, such as PE kits, school shoes and other equipment, helping household budgets go a little bit further.

“I’m pleased we can provide a bit more help to families at this difficult time and remove some of the financial barriers to education.”

Applications for the PDG Access grant are open until 30 June.  More information on how to apply can be found here.