Socialities
Clothing grants Custos
Custos has already described how to check entitlement for free school dinners. This week it's the turn of clothing grants.
Ann wrote to Custos some weeks ago. Her original inquiry was nothing to do with clothing grants. She has three children, the youngest of which is spastic. A friend had offered to house the family in their country cottage for a two weeks holiday but, with her husband out of work, where was Ann to find the necessary funds to cover the travelling expenses? Finally this was sorted out with the help of a voluntary organisation working with handicapped children, and Ann and her family had their first holiday for ten years.
The next letter that Custos received was one saying that her eldest boy had won a place at the local grammar school. Both Ann and her husband were rightly proud of their son, but a little worried because they were poor, and she knew that there would be a lot of extra expenses involved in kitting out her son. Custos told her of the various grants which are available.
School uniform grants are paid out by local education departments and the local education office is the place to start:141 quiries for a grant. There is no natio I scale, nor is there an agreed means te t. Indeed, in some areas, the means test is o out of date that working families do ncit qualify even though earning less than the current supplement benefit rate.
Ann qualified because her husband was out of work, but the total grant she received amounted to only £12. The school had already written to say what Ann's son will need: a regulation overcoat and black shoes, grey trousers, navy blazer, three white shirts, navy pullover, three pairs of grey socks, a house tie, blazer badge, PE shorts and vest in house colours, rugby boots, plimsoles, rugby vest and jersey, sports bag, briefcase, geometry set, a padlock and two keys. All to be bought with £12 and, believe it or not, no pupil will be allowed in class unless wearing a school uniform.
Just put yourself in Ann's place. An impossibly long list with only a £12 grant which, had not Custos intervened, would not have been paid until after term began. In the end, Ann bought what she could with the grant and then, after pricing each of the other items, went to the supplementary benefit office to ask for a clothing grant. In the meantime her sister and mother bought some of the clothing, but Ann will have to go before an appeal tribunal to argue her case for the rest of the money. Usually, the Supplementary Benefits Commission will not give a grant if the local education authority has paid out some money — however inadequate. The outcome of this appeal will be important, not only for Ann and her family, but many poor families, and Custos will report the decision.
Previous page
