Get help with school essentials

Overview

If you are the parent or guardian of a child in education from Reception to year 11, you may be eligible for a grant to help to pay for essential school items.

The official name of this grant is the School essentials grant.

You may also know it as the Pupil Development grant, PDG Access or the Uniform grant.

How much is it

The grant amount for the 2024 to 2025 school year is:

• £125 for eligible children
• £200 for children in year 7

How you can use it

You can use the grant to pay for:

• school uniforms, coats and footwear
• sports equipment and kit
• equipment for school activities, including musical lessons, outdoor learning and after school clubs
• classroom essentials, including pens, pencils and school bags
• equipment and materials for new subjects or courses

Eligibility

You may be eligible if you are a parent or guardian of a child in education from Reception to year 11, and you receive one of these benefits:

• Income support
• Jobseeker's Allowance
• Employment and Support Allowance
• Child Tax Credit
• Pension Credit
• Universal Credit
• Help under Immigration and Asylum Seekers Act 1999

If you receive Universal Credit, your household earnings must be less than £7,400 a year after tax. This does not include any income from benefits.

You may be eligible if you have no recourse to public funds (NRPF).

All children in care are eligible.

Apply

You can apply from 1 July 2024 to 31 May 2025.

You will need your:

• contact information
• child's school name
• national insurance number (if available)
• bank details (if available)

You can only apply once for each child in a year.

Apply for a School Essentials Grant

Contact

If you have any questions about your application or need help to apply, you can:

• email benefits@torfaen.gov.uk
• visit a customer care centre

Please note: Pupils who receive Free School Meals due to transitional protection arrangements or under the Universal Free School Meal scheme do not qualify for this funding. Please refer to the Free School Meals section of our website for further information.

Last Modified: 01/07/2024 Back to top