LISTEN: Elgin mum opens up about the struggle to clothe her kids for the new school term

The summer holidays are almost over, but are you ready to send your kids back for the new school term?

Published 9th Aug 2016

The summer holidays are almost over, but are you ready to send your kids back for the new school term?

MFR’s Cash for Kids have been dealing with almost 400 applications for help this year as mums and dads struggle to cover the costs of getting a new uniform or other classroom essentials.

Elgin mum Stephanie Clorley is one of them:

She’s been speaking out as Highland Councillors consider plans to increase the school uniform grants in the North this year.

SNP Group Depute Leader, Councillor Richard Laird, said: “As parents across the Highlands get ready to send their bairns back to school, some will have to make financial sacrifices to pay for school clothing.

“The School Clothing Grant exists to reduce those sacrifices and, if the Council can afford to, it should increase the level of that grant once again.”

In 2015, the Highland Council's Resources Committee agreed to increase the Grant to £81.

The call comes as anti-poverty campaigners call for a minimum level of School Clothing Grant to be set nationally.