School Clothing Assistance for academic year 2026/27
The online application form will go live for parents to apply on Tuesday 21st July 2026 and applications close on Friday 29th January 2027.
Will you be eligible?
- Do you live in Sandwell and receive *qualifying benefits?
- Will your child be in Reception (Primary) or school years 7 to 11 (secondary) from September 2026?
Please note: Vouchers are not available to children in school years 1 to 6 or sixth form.
If you have answered yes, then you may qualify for a £20 (Reception class) or £25 (secondary classes) voucher towards the cost of your child’s school uniform.
Qualifying benefits include:
- Income Support
- ** Universal Credit with a household net income of less than £7,400 a year (£616.66 per month – Check your latest statement) **
- Pension Credit – Guaranteed Element Only
- Support under Part VI of the Immigration and Asylum Act 1999
** If you are in receipt of Universal Credit your net earned income (after taxes and deductions ‘take home pay’) must be below £616 per month under the Universal Credit allowance you receive. This is confirmed on your latest online Universal Credit statement. If it’s above the £616 threshold, you won’t qualify for a clothing voucher. **
It is really important you read the following before applying
If your child attends any of the following Sandwell schools listed below, do not apply for a voucher from Sandwell Council as you will not qualify. You will need to apply to the school directly.
- Christ Church C.E. Primary
- Gospel Oak Academy
- Hateley Heath Primary
- High Point Academy
- Oldbury Academy
- Ormiston Sandwell Community School
- Perryfields Academy
- Q3 Academy - Great Barr
- Q3 Academy - Langley
- Sandwell Academy
- Shireland Biomedical University Technology College
- Shireland CBSO Academy
- Shireland Collegiate Academy
- Shireland Technology Primary
- Silvertrees Academy
- Victoria Park Primary Academy
- Windsor Olympus Academy
It's important to note that these academy schools mentioned above are state-funded schools that are independent of local authority (LA) and are managed by academy trusts. Subsequently, they have decided not to sign a Service Level Agreement (SLA) with Sandwell Metropolitan Borough Council to issue school clothing vouchers on their behalf.
Children attending academies not in Sandwell
If you live in the Sandwell borough but your child attends an academy outside Sandwell, you will need to apply directly to that school as you will not qualify for a school clothing voucher.