A coalition of 35 cross-party MPs and charities, led by industry body The Schoolwear Association, have joined forces to write an open letter to Jeremy Hunt, urging the Government to abolish VAT on all school-specific uniform items in the upcoming Spring Budget.
The open letter, signed by leading children’s charities Barnardo’s, Child Poverty Action group, Family Fund, argues that VAT on school-specific items amounts to a ‘school uniform tax’ – disproportionately impacting working families with children above the age of 14, or those who are taller or larger than average.
Despite being a legal requirement for children to stay in education until the age of 16, uniforms for children above the age of 14 are not treated as an ‘essential item’ and are therefore not VAT-exempt. However, with data from the Royal College of Paediatrics and Child Health[1] showing that children in the UK are taller and larger than they have ever been, parents are increasingly likely to be paying VAT on uniform items for their children before they reach the age of 14.
The coalition acknowledges the recent steps taken by suppliers and schools to reduce uniform costs – with the average cost of compulsory secondary school uniform and sportwear coming down from £101.19 in 2020 to £96.24 last year – but emphasises that more can be done to alleviate the financial strain on families.
Sarah Champion, Labour MP: “I firmly support the campaign to scrap the ‘school uniform tax’ by removing VAT on school uniform. As a vital social leveller, school uniform must be affordable for all families and help to give all children the best possible start to their educational journey.”
Rachael Maskell, Labour MP: “A school uniform is not an optional item. It is therefore vital that parents do not pay VAT, not least at a time when so many parents are struggling to get by. Paying VAT on school uniform will set parents back considerably when they do not have the means to pay for this. Therefore, I urge the Government to remove VAT from school uniforms.”
Andrew Lewer, Conservative MP: “School uniforms are a social leveller for school children up and down the country, reducing bullying and driving up attainment. The Government will argue that the guidance on uniform it brought in last year has reduced costs, but a no-nonsense tax cut would help working families more. School uniform is an essential item and should be treated as such – scrapping VAT is both fair and necessary as for many, money is as tight as ever.”
Lynn Perry MBE, CEO of Barnardo’s: “As the cost-of-living crisis refuses to loosen its grip on families, school uniforms are yet another essential item that parents are struggling to afford. We’ve been helping as many families as possible but know many more are feeling the strain. It’s vital that the Government takes action – be that through the abolition of VAT for uniforms or by introducing a uniform fund for local authorities to help those most in need.”
The coalition believes that this initiative is a practical step towards supporting families and fostering a sense of belonging among students while contributing to the government’s long-term plan for education as a catalyst for economic growth.
Matthew Easter, Chair, Schoolwear Association, ‘The Schoolwear Association is committed to providing excellent value, long-lasting school uniforms to young people who spend on average 195 days a year in these clothes. We have already been working closely with schools to bring costs down for families, and we’ve welcomed the Department for Education’s Guidance on school uniform costs.
“However, with the current tax system unfairly penalising some families over others, there’s clearly more to be done if school uniform is to be the vital social leveller it should be.”
“As an industry body, we are publicly committing to passing any savings from a VAT cut directly onto families, and will continue to work with schools to ensure their uniform policies are as proportionate and reasonable as possible.”
[1] https://www.rcpch.ac.uk/resources/uk-who-growth-charts-2-18-years