hi i'm a lone parent & i need to get my children new clothes for school, & i cannot afford it....?

Question

what kind of help can i get?

Answer 1

Go and see your local citizens advice bureau,they will be able to tell you where you could get help.

Answer 2

Try Asda or Matalan, they do uniforms very cheap. I might not last as long, but will look smart at first, then its cheap enough to replace if it goes tatty.

M&S do a better quality but it's also more expensive.

Hope you get it sorted. If you have any older uniform you could pass down to a younger child there are products you can buy to whiten and brighten the fabrics.(sometimes it takes 2-3 washes but they work.
The ones I use are Vanish crystal white and Vanish Multi, also sometimes Glowhite.

Hope you find something to match your budget.
Do you sew? There is a good sewing machine for £20 from Woolworths (I think its JML) but you could alter old uniforms to fit.

If any of this is still too much money, you could grit your teeth and ask the school. Most schools hold donated items of uniform for this sort of situation. They will understand, no need to worry.

Answer 3

Hi, if you are on benefits, then i think you can get a small loan from the social fund which you pay back over time. If you work then there really isn't any loans from the social fund. You have to be on benefits to claim loans from them.
Yes, asda do a range of school uniforms and they are cheap, £2 i think for a jumper or pack of t-shirts. I would try and get a few bits per week. That is what i have to do with uniforms as i can not afford to go and buy it all in one go.
Sorry cant really be more help.
Dry dreamer, why do you have to comment if all you can say is rubbish? Have you ever thought that sometimes peoples circumstances change and when previously could manage finacially, then something happens later on in life and we struggle? You dont know her circumstances so please shut up and move on....!!!

Answer 4

Children don't need "new" clothes for school...TV ads tell us they do. If their clothes from last year fit and are clean, then you have nothing to worry about.

I teach and I am not impressed by what kids wear on the first day of school (it must be clean though!)...what I want is a respectful student, one who does homework, shows up on time, participates, and so on. I have had plenty of students show up in really nice clothes and they are a pain in the a**

If your child is in elementary school, he/she will not typically care if clothes are hand-me-downs, Wal-mart, or Goodwill purchases. If your child is older and is aware, try a thrift store, Goodwill, call your local church ~ DON'T let them know where you got the clothes from (that is a death sentence)! try yard sales.

Ask the grandparents for help. My mother takes each of her grandchildren shopping for one new outfit every school year.

If your kids are old enough, have them babysit/work to buy their own clothes. My 9th graders wants designer clothes, so she has to buy them with her own money. She does not like the fact that I refuse to buy her a $150 pair of jeans! So she can babysit the neighbors kids for 15 hours and see if it is still worth it.

Contact the Salvation Army NOW so that you can get your kids on the "angel tree" for Christmas time...it will not help for now, but I suspect that you will have the same difficulty around Chirstmas time as well.

Good luck!

Answer 5

Hi Sonic,
Everybody seems to have beaten me to it,i was going to suggest the dss,but one thing that no one has mentioned is,have you got any mates around with kids a little older than yours cos ,i know it sounds awful these days but hand me downs are an economic way to get clothes,and when you think of it ,you're recycling at the same time,so that will get everybody's vote.
If you've just moved to a new place then maybe you can ring some of your mates at your old place if they've got any,don't be embarrassed , all the parents used to do it all the time when i was a kid.
Cheers.

Cheeky........

Answer 6

No. baby earnings is paid at a fixed fee. it is not important in case you're married and earning £60,000 a three hundred and sixty 5 days or a unmarried parent on earnings, you nevertheless get the £18.10 each and every week (for a everyday baby - simply by upward thrust by making use of 70p in April i think of). baby Tax credit is a diverse count.

Answer 7

There are uniform grants that low income families qualify for.
It is about £55 for children of secondry school age and under 15 by the 31st August.
The rate is higher for older children, but I'm not quite sure how much, sorry!

Shonagh x

Answer 8

Hi hun, there are still school grants available you need to apply now to get it in time for the new school term. However, both Asda and Tesco do a fabulous range of back to school wear which is very cheap and still looks good.

Answer 9

Tesco's do school uniforms and sell shirts etc.... at really good prices also phone the school and they may be able to tell you of second hand shops where you can buy cheap. Speak to your local authority they should be able to give you some pointers and let you know if you qualify for some help with grants etc...

Answer 10

You should've applied to your local Council for a uniform grant. You may not be too late - go to your local Council offices first thing Monday morning. Hope this helps.

Pirate_princess: By the tone of your answer, you seem to be ASSUMING this lady smokes. Is this because she's a single parent?

Answer 11

Hi there, You can try Asdas or buy some second hand uniform from the school really cheaply.
Most items are like 20p or 50p each.But I would buy these so don't be embarrased :)
As long as your child looks clean and is loved it dosen't matter where the uniform came from.