Big school uniform changes for the UK

Schools in England must limit the number of compulsory branded uniform and PE kit items to three or fewer from September 2026, with secondary and middle schools permitted a fourth item if one is a tie.

The requirement is set out in updated statutory guidance on the cost of school uniforms published by the Department for Education on 6 July 2026.

The limit is a legal requirement under the Education Act 1996, as amended by the Children’s Wellbeing and Schools Act 2026, and applies to academies, maintained schools, non-maintained special schools and pupil referral units.

A branded item is defined as one with distinctive characteristics, such as a name or logo, that make it unique to a school or academy trust, or any item only available from a school’s appointed supplier due to its colour, design or fabric.

Generic items sewn with school badges at parents’ request also count as branded and fall within the limit.

The cap covers branded bags, including book bags and rucksacks, and seasonal items such as summer dresses. A secondary pupil could not be required to have a branded winter skirt and a branded summer dress alongside a branded blazer, tie and PE top, as this would total five branded items across the school year.

Where pupils can choose between branded items, such as a skirt or trousers, this counts as one item.

Loaned or gifted branded items count towards the limit if pupils are required to wear them, though schools can lend or sell additional branded items where wearing them remains optional. Safety equipment such as high-visibility vests, and uniform for Scouts or Cadet Forces, are excluded.

The guidance also directed schools to take further cost-cutting steps in time for parents buying uniform for September 2027 at the latest.

Schools should ensure no individual item is unnecessarily expensive, scrutinise higher-cost items such as blazers and jumpers, and consider whether the total cost of uniform might deter low-income households from applying to the school.

Schools should avoid single-supplier contracts unless regular tendering competitions are run, with contracts re-tendered at least every five years, and must not enter cashback arrangements with suppliers. Any negotiated savings should be passed on to parents.

Second-hand uniform must be freely accessible to all parents, with details published on school websites for both current and prospective pupils. The Department for Education said it would not be acceptable for parents to have to access second-hand uniform through paid-for events such as school fairs.

Schools were told to publish revised uniform policies on their websites before parents purchase items for the 2026 to 2027 school year, clearly stating which items are compulsory, which are optional, and whether generic alternatives are permitted.

Pupils unable to comply with uniform policy for financial reasons should not miss classroom teaching, breaktime or extracurricular activities as a result.

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