School Essentials Grant
If you are the parent or guardian of a child in school, you may be eligible for a grant to help to pay for essential school items.
The official name of this grant is School Essentials Grant.
This is also known as the Pupil Development Grant, PDG access or Uniform grant.
How much is it
The grant amount for the 2023 to 2024 school year will return to:
- £200 for children in year 7, and
- £125 for children in all other eligible years.
How you can use it
You can use the grant to pay for:
- school uniforms and footwear,
- sports equipment and kit,
- school activities, including musical lessons, school trips and after school clubs,
- classroom essentials, including pens, pencils and school bags,
- laptop or tablet if you cannot loan it from the school.
Eligibility
You are eligible if your child receives free school meals.
You may be eligible if you receive one of the following:
- Income support,
- Jobseeker's allowance (income based),
- Employment and Support Allowance (income related),
- Child Tax Credit, with a household income of £16,190 or less,
- Pension Credit (guarantee),
- Universal Credit with net household earnings of less than £7400,
- Help under Immigration and Asylum Seekers Act 1999.
In some cases, you may need to receive one of these even if your child receives free school meals.
Check other help available if you are not eligible for this grant.
Apply
You will need your:
- contact information,
- child's school name,
- national insurance number,
- bank details.
You can apply from July 2023 to June 2024.
After applying
You will receive a confirmation email of your application, and we will let you know what happens next.