The start of a new school year can leave holes in the pockets of a lot of mums and dads.
From bespoke blazers and PE kits to emblem ties - things can really add up fast.
But parents are set to save hundreds of pounds on school uniforms thanks to a new bill.
This means parents can buy cheaper supermarket kit instead of branded gear from a single suppliers that cost an average £340 a year for secondary schools and £255 for primaries.
Labour MP Mike Amesbury will introduce a bill this week which is likely to become law by spring, reports Sunday Mirror.
Schools will be told they can specify basic items such as trousers and shirts but not styles.
Nearly one in six families say school uniform costs are to blame for them having to cut back on food and other basic essentials, compared with one in seven in 2015.
One parent told the Poverty Commission: “The cost of school uniforms is like having to afford two Christmases.
"You start shopping at the beginning of the summer holiday, so you can pace yourself over the six weeks.
“To do that you have to take money out of the food budget, or less on the electric. But this stuff is essential, so you have to afford it.”
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