School uniform costs in Northern Ireland are set to fall after the School Uniforms (Guidelines and Allowances) Act 2026 came into operation this week.
This means that families across Northern Ireland will pay less for school uniforms as new statutory Guidelines come into force.
The School Uniforms Guidelines, which have now been laid in the Assembly and issued to schools, become statutory for schools to adhere to with immediate effect. This means that school uniform policies for the 2026/27 school year must follow all the requirements set out in the Guidelines.
Education Minister, Paul Givan said: “School uniforms play an important part in promoting a sense of identity, pride and unity for pupils and supporting the ethos of the school.
“However, the cost of school uniforms is consistently cited as a key concern for parents.
“I sought to address this issue as a priority when taking up office and I am delighted that parents will now be assured that schools must comply with the statutory School Uniforms Guidelines and will see the benefits of lower uniform costs in time for the next academic year.”
Paul Givan continued: “This Act compels all grant-aided and independent primary and post-primary schools to adhere to the School Uniforms Guidelines, which also set out how schools should consult with parents and pupils on their school uniform policies, review these policies regularly and publish information on their rationale for uniform choices, including the cost of items and where they can be purchased.
“These robust Guidelines also state that branded items must be minimised, and generic PE kit must be prioritised. Additionally, they ensure uniform requirements will not prevent pupil participation or penalise pupils who are unable to afford items.”
The Minister concluded: “The aim of this Act is to ensure that school governing bodies put affordability, comfort, practicality and sustainability at the centre of their decision-making when they set their school uniform requirements.
“The cost of a school uniform should not be a significant burden for parents, nor should it deter them from applying for a particular school for their child. This Act has the power to make those principles a reality.”
There are 16 separate guidelines for schools.
- School uniform policies must ensure uniforms are affordable for families on the lowest incomes and do not impose unfair costs. Meaning: As a guide, some affordability frameworks suggest that uniform costs should not exceed 5% of a family’s monthly income.
- School uniform policies must comply with relevant human rights and equality legislation, including appropriate adjustments being made for pupils with disabilities or special educational needs.
- School uniform policies must ensure that uniforms are comfortable, practical, easy to maintain and suitable for all seasons.
- The manager of a school must consult parents, pupils and any other group they consider relevant when devising or reviewing their school uniform policies.
- The manager of a school must review their school uniform policies at least once every three years or more frequently if excessive costs apply.
- School uniform policies must minimise the number of branded items, provide reasons for their inclusion and explore cheaper alternatives.
- School uniform policies must prioritise generic PE kit items and minimise the use of branded or school-specific PE kit.
- School uniform policies must explain the reasons behind each uniform item, especially unusual colours and branded items, and show how these choices are affordable, accessible and reflect value for money for parents.
- School uniform policies should support the lending of uniform items to pupils.
- School uniform policies must support access to uniform banks for reused items.
- Uniforms must generally be available from multiple suppliers to ensure accessibility and affordability for families. As a minimum requirement, at least one supplier must be independent meaning they do not have any formal, contractual, or informal agreement with the school to sell uniforms. An exception to this requirement may only be made if the school manager publishes a value for money declaration.
- The manager of a school must publish and keep-up-to date the following information on their website:
i. the school’s uniform policy;
ii. at least once a year, any information about an agreement described
under Guideline 11 unless it is a pre-commencement agreement;
iii. the value for money declaration if any agreement is entered into on a
single and/or limited uniform supplier basis under Guideline 11;
iv. information about, including the outcome of, the school’s consultation
with parents, pupils and anyone else consulted;
v. the rationale for the requirements in terms of the uniform items and
overall design which are set out in the uniform policy;
vi. the cost of each uniform item or a range of costs per item if applicable;
vii. the total cost of each uniform, or a range of costs if applicable;
viii. the uniform suppliers each uniform item is available to purchase from;
ix. when the school’s uniform policy was last reviewed;
x. information about any uniform items the school lends to pupils;
xi. information about any uniform bank accessible to parents. - The manager of a school must permit reasonable transition periods when changing uniform requirements.
- Uniform costs must not reasonably deter pupils from applying or participating in school activities.
- Pupils must not be penalised for uniform issues caused by affordability.
- The manager of a school must provide uniform cost data and other relevant information to the Department when requested.
The full breakdown of the statutory Uniforms Guidelines can be found on the DE website at: www.education-ni.gov.uk/publications/school-uniforms-guidelines
