Proposed increase in school clothing grant

MORE than 5000 Dundee pupils could be in line for a £15 increase in the school clothing grant if councillors back the move next week.

Members of the city governance committee are being asked to approve an increase to £140 per eligible primary pupil and £170 per eligible secondary pupil.  

Mark Flynn, committee convener, said: “It is one the council’s key priorities to reduce child poverty and inequalities in incomes, education and health.

“This increase continues our drive to prioritise welfare support grants to children and families, bringing closer our goal of ending child poverty.”

Stewart Hunter, convener of the children and families committee, added: “Not only is this good for equality in our schools, because we automatically award school clothing grants to eligible families, council staff can also actively promote Council Tax reduction, which can also save hard-pressed Dundee families money.”

Families automatically receive a school clothing grant if they are entitled to one of the following benefits:

• Income Support;
• Jobseeker’s Allowance – Income Based;
• Universal Credit (where take-home pay is not more than £995 per month);
• support under Part Vi of the Immigration and Asylum Act 1999;
• Housing Benefit; or
• Council Tax reduction.

Currently 5279 pupils receive a school clothing grant in Dundee.

The city governance committee meets on Monday (May 11).