More Fife families set to benefit from School Clothing Grant

Families in Fife will be helped with the cost of school uniforms, following a decision at Fife Council’s Cabinet Committee (Thursday 10 October).

The change will protect those families who are being moved from Tax Credits to Universal Credit. Where they would previously have qualified for School Clothing Grant, a move to Universal Credit means that around 300 children are likely to now be disqualified from receiving the grant. Free school meals and school clothing grants Applications 2024/25

Councillor David Ross, Leader of Fife Council, said: “We don’t think that some of our most vulnerable families should be disadvantaged because of an administrative change in the benefits system.   Now that this issue has been identified, I’m pleased that this is an anomaly the Council can do something about.”

The current School Clothing Grant is awarded to those on the following benefits:

  • Income Support
  • Job Seeker’s Allowance (Income Based)
  • Employment and Support Allowance (Income Related)
  • Child Tax Credit only with annual income below £19,995
  • Universal Credit, with monthly earned income of no more than £796
  • Support Under Part VI of Immigration & Asylum Act 1999
  • Long Term Incapacity Benefit (clothing grant only)
  • Widows Allowance if not in full time employment (clothing grant only)
  • Child and Working Tax Credit with annual income below £19,995 (clothing grant only)

To rebalance the inequality between the Tax Credit system and Universal Credit, councillors agreed to fund a raise in the qualifying threshold, to a monthly income of less than £1666 for those on Universal Credit. This will protect those customers who are being migrated from Tax Credits to Universal Credit.

The change won’t just benefit families who are about to make the move though, those who have moved onto Universal Credit since 2017 may qualify again for the clothing grant. This will reverse the reductions seen in the amount of clothing grants awards, which have reduced between 2021 to 2024 by around 1200.

Councillor Ross continued: “We have been working really hard to protect Fifers from the worst effects of the cost of living crisis for the last three years. We don’t believe that anyone should be worse off when moving from one benefit to another and this is just one way we are helping.

"I’d urge anyone who has been affected by this change, to use our Fife Benefit Calculator to see if you are missing out on any other benefits. We want to make sure that everyone is getting what they are entitled to and a quick benefit check will do this. You can check online or call the Community Support Line where one of our trained staff can help you through the process.”

For more help and support with the cost of living or to do your own online benefit check visit our.fife.scot/gethelp or call 0800 952 0330.