Overview

• The Department for Education asked schools to immediately limit compulsory logoed items before the new term as a voluntary step.
• The Children’s Wellbeing and Schools Bill would cap required branded pieces at three for primary and four for secondary, including a tie, from September 2026 subject to passage in Parliament.
• Parentkind’s survey of 2,000 parents found 45% expect to use credit cards, 34% plan to use buy-now-pay-later services, and 29% report going without heating or food to afford uniforms.
• School leaders’ unions say changes require consultation with families and cannot sensibly be implemented before term starts, though many schools are already relaxing rules to cut costs.
• Officials say some schools currently demand more than five or even ten branded items and estimate savings of about £50 per child, with total costs often near £400 including PE kit, while retailers warn a cap could backfire if cheaper items wear out faster.