Insight
The Pupil Development Grant – Access provides low-income families with financial support to buy school uniform, equipment, sports kit and kit for activities outside of school. Whilst valued by families, the support was historically only available for children entering reception and year 3 in primary schools, and year 7 and year 10 in secondary schools. Children in those year groups were entitled to £125, raising to £200 if the child was entering year 7. Our research unearthed the impact limiting support to certain year groups was having on families with parents pushed into debt or forced to cut back on essentials to buy uniform for their children as they entered other year groups.
Idea
The Bevan Foundation called on the Welsh Government to expand the scheme so that children in all year groups were eligible for support. Doing so would put money back into the pockets of families and ensure children had the right clothing for school.
Impact
Having initially announced that the Pupil Development Grant – Access would be expanded to all year groups in secondary schools and to an extra two year groups in primary school, the Welsh Government announced that the scheme will be expanded to cover all school years. These changes will see over 87,000 children benefit from the Pupil Development Grant – Access.
In addition to increasing the number of children that are eligible for Free School Meals the Welsh Government have also increased its generosity by £100 as a result of the cost of living crisis. This will put money back into families’ pockets at an extremally difficult time.