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Citizens Advice

The Citizens Advice service helps people resolve their legal, money and other problems by providing free, independent and confidential advice, and by influencing policymakers.

Every Citizens Advice Bureau is a registered charity reliant on trained volunteers and funds to provide these vital services for local communities.

Citizens Advice service strategy 2008 - 2011 cover


Council’s school uniform policy overturned by CAB in landmark case

A successful challenge to Lancashire County Council on their refusal to offer school uniform grants could result in parents across the country challenging their local authorities to do the same said national charity Citizens Advice today.

Rossendale CAB supported local Mum Julie Walker, with the help of solicitors from the Public Law Project, to challenge Lancashire Council’s withdrawal of the discretionary school uniform grant. The 1996 Education Act requires Councils to consider helping families who need help meeting the costs of school uniforms to ensure that their children are not disadvantaged. Yet Citizens Advice research from 2007* revealed that 57% of local authorities do not offer school uniform grants.

Social Policy Officer Adrian Galvin said:

"Citizens Advice welcomes this landmark decision by Lancashire County Council to re-instate much-needed school uniform grants.

"For a number of years now, provision of grants by local authorities has been diminishing causing financial hardship for many families on low incomes.

"We trust that other local authorities which have stopped providing school uniform grants and assistance with other school costs will now follow Lancashire in reviewing their policies and making financial help available for families in need."

Citizens Advice’s Adding Up campaign, encouraging schools to adopt the best practice initiatives on uniforms, specialist equipment and school trips as outlined in government guidance, has been calling for all local authorities to make school uniform grants available.

* Adding up

Notes to editors on the Adding up campaign


Notes to editors:

  1. The Citizens Advice service is a network of independent charities that helps people resolve their money, legal and other problems by providing information and advice and by influencing policymakers.
    For more information in England and Wales www.citizensadvice.org.uk
    For more information and 2008/9 service statistics see Introduction to the service
    For 2008/9 service highlights see the Citizens Advice service impact report
    For 2008/9 social policy campaigning highlights see the Citizens Advice social policy impact report
  2. The advice provided by the Citizens Advice service is free, independent, confidential, and impartial, and available to everyone regardless of race, gender, disability, sexual orientation, religion, age or nationality.
  3. Most Citizens Advice service staff are trained volunteers, working at over 3,300 locations across England and Wales.
  4. Citizens Advice Bureaux in England and Wales advised 2 million clients on 6 million problems from April 2008 to March 2009
  5. Advice and information www.adviceguide.org.uk
  6. Volunteer hotline 08451 264264 (local rate)
  7. Citizens Advice Guide to your rights, second edition: January 2008 - over 600 pages of practical, independent CAB advice. An invaluable resource for any bookshelf - available from all good bookshops; price £11.99; ISBN: 9780141034089
  8. Follow Citizens Advice on Twitter: (New window) twitter.com/CitizensAdvice
  9. Subscribe to Citizens Advice press releases via RSS news feed: www.citizensadvice.org.uk/pressoffice