Rising cost of school uniform putting added pressure on parents during pandemic, warns charity

A children's charity is warning that the coronavirus pandemic is putting parents under increased financial pressure when it comes to the cost of getting children ready for the upcoming school year.

A report by the Children's Society in March found that the average cost of buying uniform for a child over the course of a year is now £340.

In Telford, a pop-up swap shop has been set up by the local council to sort and distribute hundreds of items of secondhand school uniform.

It's one of five such facilities in the town which provides a lifeline for dozens of families.

There are warnings that the coronavirus pandemic has pushed more families to the brink this summer.

Several parents are having to rely on bank loans to purchase uniform, which for larger families, can mean spending hundreds of pounds each year.

Some families say the cost of certain uniforms has convinced them to look at different schools for their children.

The Children's Society is calling for more schools to allow parents to buy generic items of clothing which can be cheaper than branded ones.

A bill currently making its way through Parliament aims to oblige the education secretary to issue guidance about the cost of school uniforms, and legally bind schools to follow it.