Families across Wales are being encouraged to check whether they are eligible for up to £200 per child to help cover the cost of school uniforms and other back-to-school essentials.

The Welsh Government’s School Essentials Grant is now open for applications, offering financial support to lower-income families with children from reception through to Year 11.

Eligible families can receive £125 per learner each school year, while children starting Year 7 can receive £200 to help with the additional costs of moving up to secondary school.

The one-off payment can be used for much more than just school uniforms. It can also help pay for classroom essentials such as pens, pencils and school bags, sports kits, musical instruments, specialist equipment for subjects including design and technology, outdoor learning clothing, and uniforms for enrichment activities such as scouts, guides, cadets, dance, martial arts and performing arts.

In some cases, the grant can also be used to buy laptops or tablets where a school is unable to loan equipment to a family.

Parents and carers can make one claim per eligible child each school year through the local authority where their child attends school. The grant is available to families on lower incomes who receive certain benefits.

The Welsh Government says every successful application also benefits schools, helping to ensure they receive the full level of funding available to support pupils from lower-income households.

Minister for Education and Welsh Language, Anna Brychan, said: “We know the cost of living is having a real impact on families and a clear commitment of this new Welsh Government is to support families.

“From extending funded childcare, introducing the Cynnal child payment pilot and recently announcing the extension of free school meals for those in receipt of Universal Credit, our ambition is to ensure we give children the best start in life.

“The School Essentials Grant helps with school costs. It is important that those eligible sign up in order to receive the one-off payment and additional funding for their school.”

Families can check whether they qualify and submit an application through their local authority before the start of the new school year.