The government claims a new school uniform rule will save parents around £50 per child.
The new measures, which they hope to introduce in September 2026, will limit the number of items unique to a school that have to be bought from designated suppliers.
According to new estimates from the Department for Education (DfE) the policy change will affect over four million pupils across England.
They said 35 per cent of primary schools and seven in 10 secondary schools in England will have to reduce the number of compulsory branded items to three.
Secondary school students will also have to ditch previously branded ties for neutral ones instead.
The latest data published by the DfE says the average cost of a school uniform and PE kit for a secondary school pupil is £442 and £343 for primary school students.
Current guidance requires institutions to consider the cost of their uniform so that it doesn’t affect how a parent chooses a school for their child.
The new policy would be a step up and is part of the Children’s Wellbeing and Schools Bill, which still has to go through multiple parliamentary stages before it is considered a law.
The new measures will limit the number of items unique to a school that have to be bought from designated suppliers
Current guidance requires institutions to consider the cost of their uniform so that it doesn’t affect how a parent chooses a school for their child
The bill is expected to go through its second reading in the House of Lords later this week.
Currently, many parents require uniform exchanges to afford their child’s school uniform.
And while the government say the new policy will help parents, uniform retailers say it could mean parents resort to lower-quality items, increasing costs in the long-run.
MailOnline has contacted the Schoolwear Associaton for comment.
