Applications open for GroceryAid School Essentials Grant

GroceryAid said its School Essentials Grant is now open for applications, following the great response last summer.

The grant, launched last year, aims to help reduce the financial impact on parents working in the industry when children go back to school in September.

According to a recent survey by the Schoolwear Association, the average secondary school uniform costs over £100 per child, leaving many families struggling to cope, forcing them to cut back on food and other essential items to buy new uniform and equipment.

“GroceryAid’s School Essentials Grant will help to alleviate some of the financial strain on low income families at the start of the new school year, particularly after the year everyone has had. On average families spend around £337 on secondary school uniform each year with primary school parents paying as much as £315 a year per child,” Mandi Leonard, welfare director of GroceryAid, said.

Parents employed in grocery for at least six months can apply to receive £150 per school-aged child (maximum of three children for payment) if the applicant can evidence that they are in receipt of Child Benefit, Child Tax Credit and meet the eligibility criteria. The grant will close on the 30 September or sooner if the fund has been spent.

This grant is available to colleagues working in the grocery industry, this includes manufacturers, supermarkets, independents, wholesalers, distribution, sales and all support functions.

The take-up in grants last year was so popular that GroceryAid tripled the original fund amount to meet the demand before closing applications for the year. For 2021 GroceryAid has doubled the fund amount again and hopes to help over 1,400 families in the industry.

“Just to say thank you, this is a great help and such a relief to know I can purchase all of my children’s uniform without the financial worry of where the extra money was coming from,” an industry colleague said.

More details and online applications form are available here.