The School Essentials Grant will open on 1 July 2025 and will close on 31 May 2026.
Who is eligible
Families with children in reception to year 11 on lower incomes and get certain benefits can apply for:
- £125 per learner and extra funding for your school
- £200 for learners entering year 7 (to help with increased costs associated with starting secondary school) and extra funding for your school
Parents and carers can claim once per child per school year.
Receiving Universal Primary Free School Meals does not automatically entitle your child to the School Essentials Grant:
- Learners must be eligible for means-tested Free School Meals (eFSM).
- Learners who receive free school meals due to transitional protection arrangements do not qualify.
- All children in local authority care qualify for the grant.
We also encourage local authorities to use their discretion to provide the grant to children whose parents or carers are not entitled to public funds.
Receiving the School Essentials Grant will not affect your tax or other benefits.
What the grant is for
The School Essentials Grant can help cover the costs of:
- school uniform, including coats and shoes
- school activities, including learning a musical instrument, sports kit and other equipment for after school activities
- classroom essentials, including pens, pencils and school bags
- specialist equipment for new curriculum activities such as design and technology
- IT equipment: laptops and tablets only (School Essentials should only be used in limited situations where a school is unable to loan equipment to the family)
- equipment for out-of-school hours trips such as outdoor learning (for example, waterproofs)
- non-uniform essential items such as clothing to support access and involvement in residential outdoor education
- uniform for enrichment activities, including but not limited to: scouts, guides, cadets, martial arts, sports, performing arts, or dance
For further information on eligibility or the application process, please contact the local authority where your child goes to school.
There could be more help available through the School Essentials Grant and extra funding for your school. Even if your child already receives Universal Primary Free School Meals, you still need to check your eligibility to access the wider support.