A charity based in Hull, Doreen's, has reported a surge in demand for free school uniforms, assisting more than 100 children in preparing for the upcoming school year. The charity repurposes unwanted uniforms and distributes them to families across Hull and East Yorkshire.
Ashleigh Hirst, co-founder of Doreen's, noted the high demand, stating that the charity had been particularly busy this week, with queues forming before the shop opened. She added, "We knew that there was a need, but we didn't realise how big of a need there actually was." The charity has provided uniforms to between 100 and 200 customers in the past week.
The Department for Education's latest data indicates the average cost of a full school uniform and PE kit is £442 for a secondary school child and £343 for a primary school pupil. New limits on branded school uniform items will be introduced from September, aiming to reduce costs for parents. These changes will cap the number of compulsory branded items, such as blazers and jumpers, to three, plus a tie for secondary schools. The government suggests these changes could save some families up to £50 per child.
However, Sam Singh, founder of Uniform Direct, believes that a cap on the cost of branded items and school uniform would be more effective than just limiting the number of items. Parent Rosemary Randall, who has four children, found the main issue to be the general cost of clothing rather than branded items, estimating she would have spent around £500 on uniforms without the charity's help.