School uniform costs: How to get help in Wales

Communities across Wales have set up school uniform banks.

Often the work of parents or schools, they collect outgrown school uniforms that can be repurposed for other children.

Caerphilly Uniform Exchange, external is one of these, allowing parents to buy school uniform at a discount, or swap their old uniforms for new ones.

“We help on average 50 families each month just from our Caerphilly shop,” said Lisa Watkins, who founded Caerphilly Uniform Exchange in 2022.

“They come home two weeks into term and say: ‘I’ve lost my PE kit’ or ‘I’ve lost my tie’ and people are constantly replacing things,” she said.

They allow parents to get hold of pricier items, such as sweaters, cheaper than in school uniform shops, which can be an option for those who do not mind second-hand clothes.

“It’s essential that we create these recycling schemes,” she said. “The more they exist, the less stigma there is against buying second-hand.”

However, it is not all second-hand; some uniform banks get hold of new clothes too.

“We do link up with stores like Asda and Tesco to take all of their end-of-line stock. You wouldn’t believe what’s left over every year.”

“A gingham dress, for example: they will change something tiny with the style, so it might just be one year they have the gingham collar, the next year they add on a white collar, but when things become end of line stock, places like Asda and Tesco get rid of those, so that all comes to us as well, then we can sell it on for a very small donation.”