Supermarket workers with kids can apply for a new £150 school uniform grant

Parents who work in supermarkets can apply for a new £150 clothing grant that will help with school uniform costs. 

The School Essentials Grant has been launched by the charity GroceryAid that will help with the financial burden of going back to school in September. 

The grant comes as The Children’s Society showed parents spend, on average, £337 per child a year on secondary uniform and £315 for primary school uniforms.

This leaves low-income families forced to cut back spending on essentials like food to cover the cost of school. 

The grant launched on July 1st and allows qualifying families to apply for £150 to help bridge the financial gap. 

To qualify for the grant either yourself or your partner that you live with must currently work within the grocery industry, and have been there for the last 12 months.

This includes people working in supermarkets, independent food stores or food production. 

Alongside uniforms, the grant can also be used for other school essentials such as books and stationary. 

To qualify for the grant you must meet each of the following criteria: 

• You are currently employed in grocery and have been for at least 12 months or more
• You can evidence receipt of Child Benefit which is paid into your bank account (one grant per child)
• Household net income meets GroceryAid’s criteria for financial hardship. The charity uses the Joseph Rowntree Minimum Income Standards guidelines which takes into account how many people are in your family and housing costs
• Household savings are below £1,000

Apply directly through the GroceryAid website here. Make sure you have one full month’s bank statement, child benefit payments on hand as well as evidence you are working in grocery and have been for 12 months. 

There are alternative government-provided grants similar available, however, they vary on location and have different criteria. Search for grants here.