Help needed over uniforms

Help needed over uniforms

3 August 2022

SOUTH Down MLA Cathy Mason said hard pressed families need the Northern Ireland Executive up and running as soon as possible to help progress moves to reduce what can be the crippling cost of school uniforms.

She said many workers and families across the constituency are already struggling with the rising cost of living and the increased price of fuel and electricity. Mrs Mason said paying out huge amounts for school uniforms only adds more pressure.

“The recent increase in the uniform grant is welcome, but more must be done to support families with rising uniform costs. We need a long-term solution,” Mrs Mason continued.

“I recently attended a local school uniform exchange alongside my colleague Chris Hazzard MP and it is humbling to see the community working together to help local families. But we need a long term, sustainable plan that cuts and caps the extortionate costs of new uniforms.”

Mrs Mason said Sinn Féin has a plan to make school uniforms and PE gear affordable and to cut costs for families when back to school time comes around.

But she explained that in order to implement this plan, the Executive needs to be up and running to start putting money in people’s pockets and implement a plan to cut the costs of school uniforms.

Mrs Mason said the DUP should not hold this important work to ransom.