Cost of living crisis: Sheffielders give views on relaxing school uniform policies to help struggling families

With the incoming repercussions of the cost of living crisis throughout the winter months, this may be an expense some simply cannot afford.

Demand for free school uniforms has rocketed, according to one charity which distributes second-hand clothes, as more and more families feel the pinch.

We spoke to people in Sheffield about whether schools should relax uniform policies to help struggling families.

One mother-of-three said: “It’s just going to become more and more extortionate with prices of everything rising isn’t it. I have three kids going through school and of course they’re all growing, which means realistically I’m going to be buying new uniforms for them every year or so.”

Another person said: “I don’t see why schools should stop insisting on their pupils wearing uniforms at all. Non-uniform and normal clothes cost money too at the end of the day and there are plenty of parents buying expensive clothes, sometimes big designer labels too.

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They added: “I know it’s not cheap but it doesn’t help when some people simply are not being frugal enough.”

A third person we talked to said: “In terms of standard uniform for classes, schools really need to make sure it’s as affordable as possible because this whole idea of identity and ethos will just not be justified for parents. I can get on board a bit more with things like PE kits because they have more of a practical use.”