The deadline is looming for parents to apply for a one-off grant to help with the cost of school uniform.
The School Uniform Grant is disappearing fast as government cuts bite, but there are still some places where you can get it if you meet the criteria.
It gives families up to £150 off your child's expenses for the new academic year and is offered by the government to help families on low incomes manage their school costs.
Generally applications can only be made between June 30 and September 30, leaving just three weeks left to apply.
To be eligible, you have to be earning less than £16,190 a year and be in receipt of one of the listed benefit schemes.
The Education Act stipulates that local authorities must make provision for the clothing of pupils that would otherwise be unable to afford schoolwear - however it's not compulsory.
The amount you can claim - if your council offers it - will depend on your local authority and their budget/allowance, but as a general rule, grants are available for people on a range of benefits including job seeker's allowance, income-related employment or support under the national asylum seekers support system (Nass).
To apply, you'll have to enter your postcode into the Gov.uk page for school uniform support .
Once you've located your council, you'll also be directed to other types of support you might qualify for around 'education and learning' such as travel relief, free school meals and help with childcare .
It's worth noting that the scheme won't be applicable if your child is enrolled at an academy as these are independently-run.
To claim a grant you must be receiving one of the following benefits:
- Income support
- Job seeker's allowance (income based)
- Child tax credit - provided you are not entitled to working tax credit
- Employment Support allowance (ESA)
- State pension - this benefit must be your sole source of income
- Support under Part IV of the Immigration and Asylum Act 1999
- Universal Credit
You must also prove that you are legally responsible for the child by sending the school admissions and benefits team a recent copy of your bank statement confirming the payment of child benefit to your account.
As it's not a statutory duty for councils, the amounts can vary hugely.
For example in Nottingham, you can claim different amounts for each child based on their school year, while other areas, such as Blackpool, offer no help towards school clothing cost at all.
