Current status: Answered by Jenny Gilruth on 19 June 2024
To ask the Scottish Government what the current national school clothing grant level is for eligible (a) primary and (b) secondary school pupils; when the most recent increase to the grants took place, and when the next increase to the grants is due to take place.
The national minimum school clothing grant is £120 per annum for primary pupils, and £150 for secondary pupils.
The Scottish Government has increased funding for local authorities to £13.9 million in the 2024-25 financial year. This includes an inflationary uplift of £0.9 million on the previous year’s funding. The purpose of this increase is to support local authorities to manage increases to the minimum amounts of school clothing grant paid to eligible families in the 2024-25 academic year.
It is for local authorities to determine their own eligibility criteria for school clothing grant and they also have the option to set their school clothing grant levels higher than the minimum if they wish to do so.
Decisions about funding to local authorities in respect of the school clothing grant in future financial years will be through the Budget process in the usual way.