UNISON Members - Get help with School uniforms online application starts today (Wednesday 28 May 2025) at 12 Noon!

 

I first posted this earlier this month and hope that low paid members with school age children will apply. Online applications are not great for many UNISON members but I hope this being half term in many areas they will notice this and apply.

"UNISON’s charity, There for You, is offering help for members on a low income with a one-off, non-repayable grant of £75 per school-aged child which will be paid in the form of a voucher. We want to make this limited fund go as far as possible and help as many members as we can. Please only apply if you are in financial difficulty.

Applications will be made online and a link to apply will be added to this webpage when the grant is live".

The grant will be open for 24 hours from 12 noon on 28 May 2025 and close at 12 noon on 29 May 2025.

School Uniform Grant | There for You (UNISON Welfare) | UNISON National

UNISON School Uniform Grant 28 May 2025 - share with members

 

"UNISON’s charity, There for You, is offering help for members on a low income with a one-off, non-repayable grant of £75 per school-aged child which will be paid in the form of a voucher. We want to make this limited fund go as far as possible and help as many members as we can. Please only apply if you are in financial difficulty.

Applications will be made online and a link to apply will be added to this webpage when the grant is live".

The grant will be open for 24 hours from 12 noon on 28 May 2025 and close at 12 noon on 29 May 2025.

School Uniform Grant | There for You (UNISON Welfare) | UNISON National

Get help with school uniform costs - UNISON "there for you" (despite the cuts)

 

While I am "disappointed" (to say the least) that the current majority group on the UNISON NEC is cutting the financial support for our vulnerable members, by hundreds of thousands of pounds, this vital scheme is still going ahead from 29 May 24. 

I believe in the last scheme the money allocated was claimed within 4 minutes!!! so members need to get organised to make a successful application. 

It is to my mind "regrettable" that the NEC cuts to the "there for you" budget have not been overturned and more money given to support the children of low paid UNISON members. 

Check out School Uniform Grant | There for You (UNISON Welfare) | UNISON National 

"Applications will be made online and a link to apply will be added to the bottom of this webpage when the grant is live.

The grant will open on 29 May 2024 for 750 applications at 8.30am and again for another 750 applications at 5pm. You will not be able to apply before these times.

We anticipate high demand for these grants; and due to limited funding, we’re unable to accept more applications.

Please ensure you read the below information to check if you are eligible for the grant, as well as for further information about what information you will need to hand to apply.

If you are unable to complete the application due to an accessibility need, please email: sug@unison.co.uk or call UNISONdirect on 0800 0 857 857.

School Uniform Grant 2024 Criteria

Applicants must: Be a UNISON member and have paid at least four weeks’ subscriptions as of 29 May 2024. Subscriptions must be up to date.
Not have received a grant from UNISON Welfare since 29 November
2023, excluding the Energy Support Fund or Winter Fuel Grant.
Have savings (including the total rolling balance on current accounts) below £1,000 to qualify.
Be financially responsible for school-aged child(ren) and receiving Child Benefit for them**.By school-aged, we mean children aged between 4 and 17 years old, who will be returning to school in the autumn.

And EITHER:

Be on a low income, meaning a net household income* of no more than £26,000/year (£2,166.67/month)

OR:

Be in receipt of means-tested benefits. This includes:Universal Credit
Housing Benefit
Child and/or Working Tax Credits
Pension Credit
Means-tested Jobseekers Allowance
Means-tested Employment Support Allowance
Income Support

* Net household income includes your monthly take-home pay from work (plus your partner’s, if you have one), any income from child maintenance payments, any income from student finance loans or bursaries, pensions (excluding Pension Credit) and any income from people living with you (e.g. adult children or lodgers).

** Where members either have no recourse to public funds and their household income is above £26,000/year or have no recourse to public funds and don’t receive Child Benefit; an assessment will be undertaken to see whether they would be eligible for benefits if they did have recourse to public funds.

What can I get help with?

We can help with a one-off, non-repayable grant of £75 per school-aged child which will be paid in the form of a voucher. These vouchers can be used at a selection of high street and online retailers. The vouchers cannot be used at independent retailers. We want to make this fund go as far as possible and help as many members as we can. Please only apply if you are in financial difficulty. There is a limited amount in the School Uniform Grant fund, and we are only able to accept 1,500 applications. 

What if I don’t know my membership number?

We cannot accept applications without a membership number. This can often be found at the bottom of any emails you have received from UNISON. Alternatively, please contact UNISONdirect on 0800 0 857 857.

How will you contact me?

Acknowledgement

Successful online submissions will receive an automated message confirming your application has been received. If this doesn’t show in your ‘inbox’, please check your ‘junk/spam’ folders.

Processing time

You should not expect to receive an immediate decision. It could take up to 12 weeks before you hear from us. We will require further evidence to support your application and we will be in touch via email to request this. Please do not send chasing emails as we will be unable to respond.

If I have recently received a grant, can I apply?

If you have received a grant from UNISON Welfare since 29 November 2023, excluding the Energy Support Fund or Winter Fuel Grant, you will not be eligible to apply for a School Uniform Grant.

How do I apply?

All applications should be made online. Make sure you have your membership number to hand.

If you are unable to complete the application online due to work, personal or other commitments; we suggest you ask a friend or family member to apply online on your behalf. If you are unable to complete the application online due to a disability access need; please contact us on 29 May 2024, either by email: sug@unison.co.uk or by calling UNISONdirect on 0800 0 857 857.

The grant will open on 29 May 2024 for 750 applications at 8.30am and 750 applications at 5pm.

Any questions?
Contact us via email: sug@unison.co.uk"

UNISON School Uniform Grant 2023 - This Thursday 1 June: Get Ready!

 

On the day only - online applications. Up to a max of £150. Net household income* of no more than £26,000/year (£2,166.67/month)   OR:   In receipt of means-tested benefits. 

https://www.unison.org.uk/get-help/services-support/there-for-you/school-uniform-grant/

"The 2023 School Uniform Grant Programme will open twice on 1 June 2023 at the following times:

1000 applications at 8.30am  

1000 applications at 5pm 

Applications will be made online.  You cannot apply before these times. 

A link to apply online will be added to the bottom of this webpage when the grant is live. 

Please ensure you read the below information to see if you are eligible before making an application.    

School Uniform Grant 2023 eligibility:

Applicants must:   

• Be a UNISON member   
• Have paid at least four weeks subscriptions at the time of applying. Subscriptions must be up to date.   
• Not have received a grant through our main applications since 01 December 2022    
• Not have received more than £750 in total if within the first year of membership   
• Have savings (including the total rolling balance on current accounts) below £1,000 to qualify.     
• Be financially responsible for school aged child(ren) and receiving Child Benefit for them. By school aged we mean children aged between 4-17 years old who will be returning to school in the autumn. 

Only one application per household will be considered.   

And EITHER:   

• you are on a low income:   
• Net household income* of no more than £26,000/year (£2,166.67/month)   

OR:   

In receipt of means-tested benefits. This includes:   

• Universal Credit
• Housing Benefit
• Child and/or Working Tax Credits
• Pension Credit
• Means-tested Jobseekers Allowance
• Means-tested Employment Support Allowance
• Income Support

 *by household income, we mean income from: salary payments, student finance payments, state retirement pension, occupational or private pensions, child maintenance.   

What can I get help with?   

We can help with a one-off grant of £50 per school aged child, up to a maximum of £150. We want to make this fund go as far as possible and help as many members as we can.  Please only apply if you are in financial difficulty. There is a limited amount in the School Uniform Grant Fund.  

What if I don’t know my membership number?   

We cannot accept applications without a membership number. This can often be found at the bottom of any emails you have received from UNISON.   
  
Alternatively, please contact UNISONdirect on 0800 0 857 857.   

How will you contact me?   

Acknowledgement   

Successful online submissions will receive an automated message confirming your application has been received. If this doesn’t show in your ‘inbox’, please check your ‘junk/spam’ folders.      

Processing time   

You should not expect to receive an immediate decision. It could take up to 8 weeks before you hear from us. We will require further evidence to support your application and we will be in touch via email to request this. Please do not send chasing emails as we will be unable to respond.   

If I have recently received a grant can I apply?   

If you have received a grant from UNISON Welfare since 01 December 2022, excluding the Energy Support Fund and Winter Fuel Grant, you will not be eligible to apply for a School Uniform Grant.   

How do I apply?   

All applications should be made online. Make sure you have your membership number to hand.   

Applications are currently not open

If you are unable to complete the application due to an accessibility issue, please email: sug@unison.co.uk or call UNISONdirect on 0800 0 857 857.  
  
Any questions?  
Contact us via email: sug@unison.co.uk 

Get Help with School Uniform costs - UNISON "there-for-you" fund : supporting members when it gets tough

Tonight at our UNISON London Housing Associations Branch Executive meeting, we discussed a number of key issues facing members - possible/probable strike action over pay, breaking of pension promises and trade union victimisation & bullying by a major employer of UNISON activists. 

However, we also discussed how we can get the message out to our members about the UNISON benevolent fund called "there-for-you" which is about to open its annual "get help with School Uniform costs" cash grant application process.  This is means tested. 

UNISON is I believe the only major trade union that has its own self help charity dedicated to support its members. This week I had to refer a member who is off sick due to a disability (and on reduced pay/zero) to to see if they are able to get assistance to pay their rent and avoid eviction. 

On the day only - online applications. Up to a max of £150. Net household income* of no more than £26,000/year (£2,166.67/month)   OR:   In receipt of means-tested benefits. 

https://www.unison.org.uk/get-help/services-support/there-for-you/school-uniform-grant/

"The 2023 School Uniform Grant Programme will open twice on 1 June 2023 at the following times:

1000 applications at 8.30am  

1000 applications at 5pm 

Applications will be made online.  You cannot apply before these times. 

A link to apply online will be added to the bottom of this webpage when the grant is live. 

Please ensure you read the below information to see if you are eligible before making an application.    

School Uniform Grant 2023 eligibility:

Applicants must:   

• Be a UNISON member   
• Have paid at least four weeks subscriptions at the time of applying. Subscriptions must be up to date.   
• Not have received a grant through our main applications since 01 December 2022    
• Not have received more than £750 in total if within the first year of membership   
• Have savings (including the total rolling balance on current accounts) below £1,000 to qualify.     
• Be financially responsible for school aged child(ren) and receiving Child Benefit for them. By school aged we mean children aged between 4-17 years old who will be returning to school in the autumn. 

Only one application per household will be considered.   

And EITHER:   

• you are on a low income:   
• Net household income* of no more than £26,000/year (£2,166.67/month)   

OR:   

In receipt of means-tested benefits. This includes:   

• Universal Credit
• Housing Benefit
• Child and/or Working Tax Credits
• Pension Credit
• Means-tested Jobseekers Allowance
• Means-tested Employment Support Allowance
• Income Support

 *by household income, we mean income from: salary payments, student finance payments, state retirement pension, occupational or private pensions, child maintenance.   

What can I get help with?   

We can help with a one-off grant of £50 per school aged child, up to a maximum of £150. We want to make this fund go as far as possible and help as many members as we can.  Please only apply if you are in financial difficulty. There is a limited amount in the School Uniform Grant Fund.  

What if I don’t know my membership number?   

We cannot accept applications without a membership number. This can often be found at the bottom of any emails you have received from UNISON.   
  
Alternatively, please contact UNISONdirect on 0800 0 857 857.   

How will you contact me?   

Acknowledgement   

Successful online submissions will receive an automated message confirming your application has been received. If this doesn’t show in your ‘inbox’, please check your ‘junk/spam’ folders.      

Processing time   

You should not expect to receive an immediate decision. It could take up to 8 weeks before you hear from us. We will require further evidence to support your application and we will be in touch via email to request this. Please do not send chasing emails as we will be unable to respond.   

If I have recently received a grant can I apply?   

If you have received a grant from UNISON Welfare since 01 December 2022, excluding the Energy Support Fund and Winter Fuel Grant, you will not be eligible to apply for a School Uniform Grant.   

How do I apply?   

All applications should be made online. Make sure you have your membership number to hand.   

Applications are currently not open

If you are unable to complete the application due to an accessibility issue, please email: sug@unison.co.uk or call UNISONdirect on 0800 0 857 857.  
  
Any questions?  
Contact us via email: sug@unison.co.uk 

"Get help with school clothing costs this summer" UNISON "there for you" (Apply ASAP)

 

School Clothing Grant 2022

Important: Before starting your application, please ensure you carefully read the ‘How to Apply Guide’. We cannot accept applications that do not include a membership number and all supporting documents. If you do not know your UNISON membership number, please contact UNISONdirect on 0800 0 857 857 for this information.

What is the fund for?

A grant has been put in place that will assist our most vulnerable members with the cost of providing school clothing. This is in response to the growing difficulties many members on low incomes face, especially with the cost-of-living crisis.

How much are the grants?

They are one-off non repayable grants of £70 per school age child. Only one application can be accepted per household.

Am I eligible?

• To be eligible, you must meet the following:
• You are a member for at least 4 weeks and have paid 4 weeks subscriptions before 24 June 2022.
• You are financially responsible for the child/children and receiving Child Benefit for them.
• You have total combined (you and your partner if applicable) savings/rolling bank balance(s) of less than £1,000

And either:

• • Your household has a net income of less than £26,000 per anum

Or

• You are in receipt of Universal Credit or Housing Benefit or Tax Credit payments.

Important information:
Please note that the date of application will be taken as the date we receive the form, and all required supporting documents.
As this is a limited fund, we cannot guarantee you will receive a payment even if you meet the eligibility criteria. It is therefore important that you apply as early as possible.

We will need the following supporting documentation from you with your application form:

• Most recent payslip for you, and your partner (if applicable)
• Most recent 30-day bank statement for all bank accounts held by you, and your partner (if applicable) Your bank statement must show all income and transactions for a complete month including Child Benefit Payments.

Plus (if applicable):

• Proof of Universal Credit or Housing Benefit payments or Tax Credit payments.

Please note we cannot consider applications without a membership number and all supporting documents.

How do I send my form with supporting documents?
Complete the form and email to (please ensure this is password protected): grants.schoolclothing@unison.co.uk

Alternatively post to:
FREEPOST UNISON
2022 School Clothing Grant
There for You

How will you contact me?
All contact will either be by email or phone. We may need to contact you to request further information.

Please remember to check your junk/spam folders

How do I apply?

Please read through our how to apply guide and download an application form on our School Clothing Grant page.

Apply for a School Clothing Grant

UNISON "There for You" School Uniform Grants 2021

 

UNISON is #ThereForYou and your family. 

If you’ve got kids going back to school next term, see if you could get help with the cost of their uniforms. Apply from 1 July www.unison.org.uk/schooluniform2021 

If eligible grants of £50 per child (max £150 per family)

 

Newham Free School Uniform competition - cute picture alert!

"Hoorum and Diya wearing their new school uniforms. Their families won a full uniform pack by completing their school applications online. 2020 eAdmissions open 1 Sept. #Newham #BackToSchool2019". Hat tip Cllr Julianne Marriott, Cabinet Member for Education

Unison School uniform grants closing soon!

Members on low income could be eligible for school uniform grants from UNISON “There4You” of £40 per child (up to maximum of £120 for 3 children).

Application forms have to be returned by Friday 19 July. Members who are housing benefit and have limited savings should qualify.

Contact your branch welfare officer or if you do not know how then ring Unisondirect 0800 0 857 857 or check out https://www.unison.org.uk/get-help/services-support/there-for-you/unison-school-uniform-grants-2019/

Hat tip photo UNISON Scotland

UNISON School Uniform Grant 2019 - up to £120 per family

From May 13 UNISON members who receive housing benefit or have income of less that £18,000 (see exact eligibility here) could claim up to £120 for school uniform costs. 

"Families living on low income with children struggle constantly to make ends meet – and this can be particularly acute before the new school year begins when the extra costs hit hard.

But it’s not all bad news – help IS available.  The union’s welfare charity There for You has once more set up a limited fund to help members on low incomes towards the costs of school uniform through a one-off payment of £40.

The process is very similar to previous years and an amount of money has been ring-fenced to support this initiative. However, once it’s gone it’s gone! 

So don’t miss out.  Apply early and send your form and supporting paperwork in as soon as possible.  All the information you need can be found below.   Alternatively, contact UNISON Direct on 0800 0857 857 for a form to be sent to you. 

Just one more thing please don’t keep details of this grant a secret.  Help us to help even more members and let your work colleagues know that help is at hand.  There will be many, like you, worrying about how they will be able to afford uniform’s to send their children back to school in the Autumn. 

Completed applications need to be sent to There for You, UNISON Centre, 130 Euston Road, London, NW1 2AY by Friday 19 July 2019 at the latest".

UNISON "there for you" helping out our low paid members with the cost of school uniforms 2018

One of the many things that I am proud of in my trade union UNISON is its charitable arm "There for you" (which I am one of its trustees). Every year we hold a campaign to help low paid UNISON members pay for school uniforms for their children.

We must get the message out better since there are huge numbers of our members who are eligible but are either not aware or need help filling out the forms. UNISON branch welfare officers are key to getting the message out but all our activists should do their bit to spread the word.

"There For You are offering a one off grant of £40 per school age child up to a max total of £120 for help with school uniforms.

To be eligible you must be:

• A member who has paid 4 weeks subscriptions before 14 May 2018.
• Either receive Housing Benefit  (or the housing element of Universal Credit)
• Or have a total net annual household income of £18,000 or less. (Note by “net income” we mean all salary after tax, national insurance, superannuation etc and including your partner’s salary if applicable and any benefits. However, do not include in your calculation Child Benefit, the childcare element only of Working Tax Credit if paid, Disability Living Allowance or Personal Independence Payment)
• Financially responsible for the child/children
• Not eligible for funding for uniform costs from you local authority.

Further information is available on the FAQs document listed below.

School Uniform Promotional Poster 2018

School Uniform Grants FAQs

School Uniform Grant Application Form 2018

School uniform grants for UNISON members - up to £120 (£40 per child)

I am so proud that UNISON has its own Charity fund for members on low income or facing financial or other hardship. Working class trade unionists banding together to help each over in times of difficulty or crisis is pretty much what we should be all about.

The thought of kids being embarrassed or mocked because their parents cannot afford school uniforms makes me furious.

"UNISON There for You: School Uniform Grant 2017

If you have children in full time education, you may be eligible to receive a school uniform grant from UNISON’s charity There for You. To be considered, you must either be:

In receipt of Housing Benefit; or

Your net annual income is £18,000 or below 

[Note: We ignore the following income Child benefit, any childcare element included as part of your working tax credits, Disability Living Allowance, Personal Independence Payment].

Also, you will need to have paid a minimum 4 weeks membership subscriptions before 22nd May 2017

To take advantage of this grant please complete the forms below and return to us with all the supporting documentation requested. We’ve also included a Q&A setting out the full conditions and eligibility criteria which should answer any questions that you have.

Please note the closing date is 21st July.

UNISON "there for you" grants for School Uniforms

UNISON's special charity for its own members "there for you" is helping low paid families to meet the cost of providing school uniforms. If your net earned (work) income is less than £18,000 per year (see below) and you have savings of less than £800 then you can get £40 per child uniform grants from UNISON "there for you"  up to £120 (for 3 kids).

What are UNISON There for You School Uniform Grants?
In addition to our normal range of services and in response to the growing difficulties many members on low income  face,  a programme has been put in place that will assist our most vulnerable members with the cost of purchasing school uniforms.

How much are the Grants?

They are one-off grants of £40.00 per school age child, up to a total of £120.00

Am I eligible?

To be eligible you must be:
·         A member who has paid 4 weeks subscriptions before the launch date of this programme (23/5/16)
·         Have a total net annual household income of £18,000 or less.  [Note:By household income we mean net earnings after tax, national insurance, pension deductions  of you, your partner and any other adults living in the property.   Please also refer to next bullet point:
·         The following is not included as income for the purpose of this specific grants programme:
-          Disability Living Allowance, Personal Independence Payments, Child Benefit and the childcare cost element only of Working Tax Credit
·         Responsible for meeting household bills and struggling to pay them
·         Financially responsible for the child/children.
·         Not eligible for funding for uniform costs from your Local Authority

Is there anything else that may affect my entitlement to apply?

·         Members and their partners must not have combined savings or, a rolling bank balance of more than £800.00.  Savings of any other adults in the household do not apply
·         You must not have received financial assistance from UNISON There for You during the previous six months
·         Applications are limited to one per household
·         Ensure you send all requested paperwork with the form or the application cannot be accepted

How do I apply?
To apply for a School Uniform Grant simply:
·         Download from our website www.unison.org/thereforyou
·         Contact Unison Direct on 0800 0857 857 for a form to be posted to you
·         Provide us with evidence of your entire household income by sending copies of :
o   You and your partner (if applicable) last month’s payslip(s)
o   Last full month’s bank statements for all bank accounts held by you and your partner (if applicable)
·         Submit the form along with the completed short survey by 15 July 2016.
·         Post your application including all supporting paperwork to: UNISON Welfare, UNISON Centre, 130 Euston Road, London NW1 2AY.

Where can I go for further help or advice?

There is a limited amount of funding in the school uniform grants programme and once it has been exhausted no further awards for the year can be made.  However if you are facing unforeseen hardship it may be possible for you to apply to our general grants programme.  We will let you know if this applies to you. 

For further information, please see our web pages at www.unison.org/thereforyou, contact your Branch Welfare Officer or the There for You Support Team on  020 7121 5620  or email thereforyou@unison.co.uk.   If you are experiencing difficulty with credit card and other consumer debts, please refer to our additional  information at https://www.unison.org.uk/get-help/services-support/there-for-you/debtline-support/, or contact our Debline direct on 0800 389 3302.