Scandal of overpriced school uniforms

Reporter: BEATRIZ AYALA
Date published: 05 March 2015


OLDHAM parents are forking out almost £10.5million a year on school uniforms, according to a new charity report into rip-off uniform policies.

The report from the Children’s Society also found almost 6,000 Oldham children have gone to school in ill-fitting unforms because parents are so stretched.

The charity is calling on the Government to look into capping the cost of uniforms.

The survey of 1,000 parents found 95 per cent believed the cost of uniforms is unreasonable.

Much of the cost is down to school uniform policies insisting parents buy specific items from specialist shops, rather than more basic alternatives.

Rob Jackson, area director for The Children’s Society, said: “It’s time for the Government to introduce legally binding rules to stop schools from making parents pay over the odds for items available only at specialist shops.”