Tower Hamlets children could get discounts on school uniforms

Thousands of children entering primary or secondary school could receive money off their new school uniform as part of a proposed council scheme.

Tower Hamlets Council is planning on introducing a school uniform grant for families with household incomes of £50,350 or less and has set aside £3 million to fund the scheme over the next three years.

Families will be able to claim £50 per child entering primary school, and £150 per child entering secondary school. It is estimated that around 21,000 children will benefit from the scheme over the next three years. During Wednesday’s (January 8) Cabinet meeting which discussed the council’s budget proposals for the next three years, Mayor Lutfur Rahman said: ‘As an administration, we are trying to ensure that regardless of class, religion, skin colour, all children in Tower Hamlets are given every opportunity to realise their dreams.

‘This is not an easy task and the financial burden that sending children through school, college and then onto university can place great pressure on families – every parent wants their children to have the best life chances and as a council we are trying to support them in this endeavour.’

The £1m yearly grant for school uniforms would come from a yearly Community Resilience Support Fund package, worth £2m. Mr Rahman went on to say his administration had invested more than £25m into young people since May 2022, including funding free school meals for primary and secondary children as well as college grants worth £600 and university bursaries worth £1,500.

Mr Rahman said schemes such as free swimming for women and girls aged 16 and over and men over 55 will continue, as well as free school meals and university and college grants. He went on to say: ‘We will continue to do all we can to support working families and their child’s journey towards achieving their dreams and full potential and we are immensely proud to represent this fully costed policy at today’s Cabinet.’

The council is also planning on spending £1million each year to help young people with Special Educational Needs and Disabilities (SEND) as they transition into adulthood, and has set aside £3m for a new Meals on Wheels service. Additionally, the council is investing £551,000 each year into creating a drugs taskforce which will work with police to tackle drug supply, dealing, exploitation and treatment, and the council plans on investing £270,000 per year for the next three years on the expansion of its ‘state-of-the-art’ CCTV service.

The council is planning on increasing council tax by 4.99 per cent – which includes a 2 per cent adult social care precept – though some residents will be entitled to a Council Tax Support Relief Fund. Cabinet Members proceeded to agree on the recommendations set out in the budget report for 2025/26 as well as the council’s Medium Term Financial Strategy (MTFS) for 2025-28. The final budget will need to be agreed at a future full council meeting.

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