You could get up to £150 to pay for your child's school uniform - here's how to apply for the grant

Thousands of parents may be eligible to apply for a one-off discount to help cover back to school costs from this Sunday (30 June), as applications for the School Uniform Grant open.

Parents in England, Wales and Scotland could be eligible for the discount, which offers up to £150 off your child's expenses for the new academic year.

The School Uniform Grant is part of the Education Act 1980 and is offered by the Government to help low income families manage their budgets.

How it works

In Scotland, the benefit is compulsory and local authorities are obliged to pay qualifying families at least £100 per child.

However, in England it is not a statutory right, and in recent years many councils have been forced to scrap or reduce it, due to funding rows.

There is regional variation too: residents in York can apply for up to £70 off, while those in Islington can claim up to £150.

According to The Mirror, dozens of councils have withdrawn from the scheme in the past 12 months, meaning many parents who previously qualified for the grant no longer will.

This includes councils in Stockton, Cornwall, Cambridgeshire and Northumberland, while other areas, such as Nottinghamshire, now only grant it to children with special educational needs.

Parents can check with their local authority to see if they qualify, and in some cases they may be able to apply for a reduction from their child's school instead.

Parents can check with their local authority to see if they qualify for the grant (Photo: Shutterstock)