With the new school year just around the corner, parents across Beccles are feeling the pinch – especially when it comes to equipping their kids with necessary school uniforms. For Laura Brockwell, a mother of two teenage sons, the challenge is immense every single year. Since her sons are growing very fast, she has to buy them new uniforms every year, making the uniforms cost at least £100 per child. With increasing costs of living, she has been forced to reduce spending on vacations and flights abroad.
The St Luke’s Church Centre uniform bank in Beccles is run by the community. School clothing — a lifelong impact This initiative fills a key gap for families that cannot afford the rising cost of clothing and necessities. The special initiative is to help reduce some of the high cost of going back to school shopping. Fran Tuck, the warden at the church center, described some of the realities most families face. She emphasised that most of them are living on the breadline – whether or not they have jobs.
Last month, Natalie Hull was present at one of the uniform bank events held at St Luke’s. She departed with a bag stuffed with crucial items, like a summertime gown, university skirt, tie, shirts, polo shirts, and underwear. She related her own experiences of having to choose between necessary expenses and things like a movie or a dinner out. “I make cut-backs on trips and days out because I have to focus on necessities like food and uniforms,” Hull said.
The economic impact of having to buy school uniforms is felt UK wide. Parents of primary school children can expect to spend an average of £343 on uniforms, while seven in ten secondary schools require three branded items along with a branded tie. Becky Mather, another parent from Beccles, described how difficult it was for her to cover these costs. “Being able to afford school uniform for my children is a struggle,” she remarked.
The UK government recently announced a package of new measures, as it works to lift these accumulating financial weights. From September 2026, every parent will save an average of £50 per child. This amendment comes as a response to a recent statutory update that requires schools to take uniform affordability into account when developing their uniform policies. These policies aim to make sure cost is not an obstacle for parents looking to send their kids to a better school.
In spite of these welcomed changes, many parents are already facing the burden of the cost of school uniforms. And with these branded items, it’s not just a little increase in price, explained Laura Brockwell. “All the branded stuff is what costs the money – if you could have blazers and add your own patch then it would save an absolutely fortune,” she suggested.
Purchasing uniforms secondhand has been the only option as noted by recent National Federation of High Schools surveyor, Natalie Hull. “Nine times out of 10 I will get a second-hand uniform because new it is just extortionate,” she stated. The severe burden of these costs has contributed to families’ frustration and distress over their financial wellbeing.
Fran Tuck from North Carolina sounded these same notes, and described the heartbreaking decisions that families struggle with every single day. “People are struggling and it seems such a shame they have to decide between buying uniform or having decent food,” she lamented.
The uniform bank at St Luke’s Church Centre continues to provide essential items like school trousers, shirts, and clean underwear to families in need. As parents, Brockwell and Mather have a steep uphill climb. Community resources, such as our uniform bank, are crucial to helping support those who are most affected by this economic squeeze.
