East London News A Force for the community…
ONE OF the down sides to children going back to schools is that parents have to fork out for school uniforms, PE kits, etc. That’s why Mayor Lutfur Rahman has stepped in to cheer up less well-off families by funding a school clothing grant.
If your household income is less than £50,350 per year, you can apply for a grant to help pay for the cost of school clothes and/or uniform. To qualify, you must live in Tower Hamlets or have been housed by Tower Hamlets in a different borough.
The grants are £50 for a child starting primary school in September and £150 for a child starting secondary school in September. The Council is taking applications now, and you must apply by 30th September to receive a grant this year.
Your child must have a confirmed place at a primary or secondary school before you can apply. The Council’s information website page is not clear on whether the school where they have a place has to be in Tower Hamlets. Sadly, there is no information about whom you should contact for further information on this or other issues on this page or on the general “contact the council” page. We can only suggest that you contact your Councillor.
School uniforms are more popular in the UK than in other parts of Europe. Some primary schools are very aware that buying uniforms puts a strain on families, and they build a uniform around generic, widely-available clothing rather than costly items which you can only buy from specialist shops. The Mayor’s initiative supports that approach – helping all families get their children to school adequately kitted out.
●For (some) more information and to apply, go to:
School Uniform Grant
●Read more about it:
Mayor Lutfur Rahman wins battle for affordable housing
Mayor Rahman’s Free School Meals help 38,000 students
