Almost half of specialist retailers may have to lay off staff in response to government’s school uniform cap, survey finds
Almost half of specialist schoolwear retailers may be forced to lay off staff, or have already done so, in response to the government’s school uniform cap, according to a new survey.
Under plans set out in the Children’s Wellbeing and Schools Bill, which is currently being debated at Report Stage in the House of Lords, the government intends to cap the number of branded uniform items to three per pupil, plus a tie for secondary school students.
However, a new survey of specialist schoolwear retailers, who collectively serve around 10% of UK schools, has shown that the uniform cap could have a devasting impact on these small businesses and their employees who are at the heart of local communities:
- 48% of retailers say that they may have to make staff redundant, or have already done so
- 44% say that their staff are anxious about being made redundant
- 29% are considering reducing their opening hours
- 18% think they may have to close altogether
Many of these retailers are long-standing, small, family-run enterprises, which are already struggling against a backdrop of high operating costs, business rates and taxes. They also provide services to parents which are not available in supermarkets, including year-round availability and bespoke sizing for children who need it.
Matthew Easter, chair of the Schoolwear Association, said: “Like many small businesses up and down the country, specialist schoolwear retailers are already struggling due to rising operating costs and tax increases. Many of them are now facing laying off their staff, who are understandably anxious about losing their jobs and the real impact this will have on their families. For some of these small firms, the school uniform cap will be the final nail in the coffin and will mean they have to shut up shop altogether.”
The Schoolwear Association is also warning that the cap may backfire and increase costs for the very parents which the government wants to help. 71% of retailers say they may be forced to increase prices in response to the cap to stay afloat, whilst many parents will be pushed into buying lower-quality items from the supermarket, or expensive fashion brands, especially for sports kit.
Many specialist schoolwear retailers also work with their schools to provide support to struggling parents, including flexible payment schemes, discounts and swap shops – but over half (59%) of retailers now say they may be less financially able to support lower-income families.
The Schoolwear Association’s survey found that 71% of retailers say that the schools they are working closely with are opposed to the Government’s school uniform policy, of which 62% said their schools would prefer to revert back to the original guidance.
Matthew Easter continues: “The government’s school uniform policy will negatively impact the very families they’ve promised to help. Unlike supermarkets, specialist schoolwear businesses provide year-round availability and bespoke sizing, services which are particularly crucial for children with specialist needs. The cap is likely to leave many parents financially worse off, as retailers are forced to raise prices and cut support for lower-income families, pushing parents towards more expensive brands or lower-quality alternatives.
A headteacher from a secondary school in Birmingham has warned it won’t save parents money, commenting: “We have worked hard over the past 5 years to make sure that our uniform and sportswear is affordable as possible, to meet the needs of our socio-economically diverse school population. This has included directing our pupil premium money, so that all qualifying Year 7s and Year 9s receive a significant contribution towards their uniform costs and other pots of support funding are available to families in need who benefit from being able to purchase pre-loved uniform.
We have also worked hard with our suppliers to reduce branded items already and to stock high quality and affordable items. All of this is in conjunction with a smart and good quality uniform and sportswear offer, befitting our high pastoral expectations of appearance and demands of a vast sporting programme. The new Bill, although good in its intentions, has made our task harder in the sense that it won’t actually save parents much money and will inadvertently make it harder for us to maintain high levels of appearance.”
Jim McNicholas, managing director of Clive Mark, a leading specialist retailer which has been operating in the Midlands for 60 years and serves around 450 schools, said: “Retailers like ours have been warning for months about the damage that the school uniform cap will do to businesses and jobs.
Due to the financial realities we’re now facing, we’ve been forced to make four of our staff redundant- a decision which no business ever wants to make. Smaller businesses than ours will be struggling even more and I wouldn’t be surprised if many of them have to shut up shop for good.
The tragedy is that, despite what the government has been repeatedly claiming, parents won’t be saving money, as children will swap away from long-lasting school specific uniform towards pricey fashion brands.”