Families in Wales to receive cash boost to help with school costs including PE kits

A £13m support package to help families in Wales pay for school uniforms and PE kits but not all are eligible.

The extra help comes as the cost-of-living crisis is deepening, as fuel and energy prices soar in the wake of the Ukrainian conflict and new UK Government tax rises are due to come into force new month.

The new funding will provide families across Wales, who are eligible for help through the Pupil Development Grant (PDG) with a one-off £100 top-up payment in 2022-23 to help with the costs of sending their children to school.

The new funding is part of the Welsh Labour Government’s Household Support Fund and is directly aimed at helping households meet the rising costs-of-living.

It follows recent announcements by the Welsh Government to extend the PDG Access Grant to learners in all school years who are eligible for free school meals and £21.4m to extend free school meal provision through the Easter, Whitsun and summer holidays.

Jeremy Miles, Welsh Labour Minister for Education and Welsh Language, who will speak at the Welsh Labour party conference in Llandudno today, said:

“In the midst of this Tory cost-of-living crisis, household budgets are under significant pressure and many parents will be worried about how they can afford the things their children need for school.

“Those families in receipt of the PDG Access Grant will already be using the £200 to help pay for their children’s school uniform. This extra payment will help cover other costs, such as PE kits, school shoes and other equipment, helping household budgets go a little bit further.

“I’m pleased we can provide a bit more help to families at this difficult time and remove some of the financial barriers to education.”

Children in Wales, funded by the Welsh Government, is working with schools across Wales to make a real difference for their pupils by supporting school leaders and teaching staff with this issue.

[Photo: Association of Physical Education]