Statutory guidance

Cost of school uniforms

Statutory guidance on developing a school uniform policy and managing uniform suppliers to ensure the cost of uniforms is reasonable.

• From: Department for Education
• Published: 19 November 2021
• Last updated: 6 July 2026
  Show all updates

  1. 6 July 2026

     Updated to reflect the new legal limit on compulsory branded school uniform items in the Children’s Wellbeing and Schools Act 2026.

  2. 23 October 2025

     Updated the guidance, which now includes draft statutory guidance relating to the proposed limit on the number of branded items of school uniform and PE kit that schools can require.

  3. 19 November 2021

     First published.

Applies to England

Documents

Cost of school uniforms

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This guidance is for:

• academy schools
• maintained schools
• non-maintained special schools
• pupil referral units
• local authorities
• governing boards
• city technology colleges and city colleges for the technology of the arts

Statutory guidance sets out what schools and local authorities must do to comply with the law. They should follow the guidance unless they have a very good reason not to.

The Department for Education has also published guidance for schools on how to develop school uniform policy and procure supplies.