Many children from low income families are being excluded from school because they do not have the correct uniform, a charity has claimed.

This is largely down to the steady erosion of grants to help poorer parents afford the required school clothes for their children, according to the National Association of Citizens Advice Bureaux (NACAB).

Not having the proper uniform can mean young people are excluded from the social and academic life of their school

Nicola Simpson, NACAB

Following up on a report it published in January 2001, the NACAB found at least nine of the 172 local education authorities surveyed in England and Wales had cut or abolished their school uniform grants.

It said many families had little choice but to turn to charities for help.

Now it is calling on local education authorities (LEAs) to provide a minimum standard of assistance for low income families, with funding from central government.

Findings

The NACAB report found provision of financial support was patchy, with significant regional differences.

As many as 90% of LEAs in eastern England and 80% in the North West offered grants, while only 26% in the Midlands and the South East did.

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Almost one third of LEAs gave no help whatsoever and only 27% gave grants to children of both primary and secondary age.

And 23 of the 100 most deprived wards in England did not have access to a grant scheme.

The NACAB said uniform costs ranged from �92 for a basic boy's primary school uniform to �274 for a secondary school uniform including PE kit.

In February, the Department for Education issued schools with new guidance saying uniforms must be affordable as well as appropriate.

The move followed a report by the Family Welfare Association, which came to similar conclusions as the NACAB.

'Education at risk'

NACAB's Director of Policy and Public Affairs, Nicola Simpson, said it was sad that the situation had got worse over the course of a year.

"This is a state of affairs that should not be tolerated because it can put children's education at risk," said Ms Simpson.

"Not having the proper uniform can mean young people are excluded from the social and academic life of their school.

"They may get picked on or choose to exclude themselves because they feel marked out. In the worst cases they may even be threatened with exclusion by the school."