Reducing the cost of school uniforms in Scotland - how the right national guidance can help

The Scottish Government has committed to introduce statutory guidance in Scotland to reduce the cost of school uniform. It is intended that this national guidance will inform local authority and school policies. A public consultation is currently open until 14 October 2022.

At CPAG in Scotland, we strongly welcome the introduction of statutory uniform guidance with affordability at its heart. We believe that this has the potential to ensure more consistent affordability for families, regardless of where they live and the schools their children attend. We also believe that it offers the chance to remove a key financial barrier to children and young people’s participation, learning and wellbeing at school. 

In this short briefing we set out what we’ve heard about uniform from learners, families and their schools and what we think is important for stakeholders to bear in mind when responding to the consultation.