Are families struggling to afford school uniforms?

New research reveals that nearly three in five (58%) British households are feeling the financial strain of school uniforms, with more than a third (34%) admitting they have to sacrifice essential household items just to make ends meet.

Parents report spending an average of £255 per child on school uniform each year, and more than half (53%) need to replace items before the first term is even over, adding to the financial pressure at the start of the school year.

In Luton, where around half of children live in poverty, the Level Trust charity is tackling this issue head-on. Their Uniform Exchange programme takes retired easyJet uniforms and upcycles them into thousands of items for older year students living in the area who are in need of new uniform, including shirts, skirts blazer jackets and trousers.

Aston spoke to Debbie Thomas, senior first officer at easyJet.