Cap on branded school uniform puts an end to families 'paying through the nose,' says Sheffield councillor
“For too long, families have had to struggle with frankly insane rules requiring them to buy item after item”
A Sheffield councillor and teacher says a new cap on branded school uniform items frees families from “paying through the nose” over “frankly insane rules”.
Park and Arbourthorne councillor Ben Miskell has welcomed new rules limiting the number of expensive branded items that families can be forced to buy each school year.
Under the new rules, schools in England must limit the number of compulsory branded items across school uniform and PE kit to three. Secondary and middle schools can require a fourth branded item where that item is a tie.
The changes will give parents greater freedom to buy affordable, generic uniform from supermarkets and other retailers, as well as making use of second-hand uniform and uniform swaps, rather than being required to purchase numerous expensive school-specific items.
Coun Miskell, who is also a teacher, said: “For too long, families have had to struggle with frankly insane rules requiring them to buy item after item of expensive branded school uniform.
“Families shouldn’t be forced to pay through the nose for branded uniform when perfectly good, affordable alternatives are available.
“As a teacher, I absolutely believe in school uniform and the sense of identity and belonging that it can create. But that doesn’t mean every item needs to be an expensive branded one that parents have to buy from a particular supplier.
“I represent a proud area where, unfortunately, many families simply don’t have shedloads of money to spend. When perfectly good trousers, shirts, skirts and PE kit can be bought much more cheaply from supermarkets or picked up through uniform swaps, the pressure on parents to buy expensive branded alternatives has been immense.
“And if you’ve got two, three or more children, those costs quickly add up to an enormous bill at the beginning of every school year.
“Limiting the number of compulsory branded items is a sensible, practical change that will put more choice back in the hands of parents.”
The new legal limit applies across compulsory school uniform and PE kit combined. Compulsory branded bags and footwear also count towards the limit.
Meanwhile, a nationwide study by money-saving site MyVoucherCodes claims the average yearly spend on school uniform climbed to £141.15 in 2026, up from £108.59 in 2025.
And the spending doesn’t end when the school gates open in September. More than half of parents (57.9 per cent) say they will have to spend even more on uniforms over the rest of the year, anticipating an average additional expenditure of £129.09 to cover replacements, growth spurts, and seasonal changes.
The most expensive item is reportedly a school coat, with an average spend of £42.49. The second is school shoes, at an average of £41.31.