Question to the Department for Education:

To ask the Secretary of State for Education, if she will make an assessment of the potential impact of the cost of (a) badges and (b) piping for school uniforms on household expenditure.

The department has not assessed the impact of the cost of specific designs for school uniforms on household expenditure. However, the department recently published its latest research on the cost of school uniforms, which is available here: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/cost-of-school-uniforms-survey-2023.

This research surveyed parents and carers of children aged 4 to 16 attending state-funded schools in England and found that average uniform expenditure decreased as the range of outlets from which parents/carers were allowed to purchase items increased. The average spend on items was significantly lower where all could be purchased from anywhere (£227.29), than where all had to be purchased from a designated shop or from a school (£283.90).

That is why as part of the King’s Speech, the department has committed to legislate to limit the number of expensive branded items of uniform and PE kit that schools can require.