Thousands of Jersey families receive first Back to School Bonus

More than 2,500 Jersey schoolchildren are set to benefit from the government's first Back to School Bonus, designed to help families meet the rising cost of school essentials.

A total of £310,300 is being distributed to parents and carers, with eligible families receiving up to £150 for each school-age child.

The one-off payment is available to households with a combined income below £75,000 and is intended to help cover costs such as school uniforms, footwear and other essentials ahead of the new academic year.

Government figures show that 2,552 children have qualified for the payment. Of these, 1,450 are primary school pupils and 1,102 attend secondary school.

A further 70 applications are still being assessed.

Applications closed at the end of July, while families receiving Income Support were told they would receive the payment automatically.

Payments began on 19 August and are expected to continue throughout the month.

New limits on branded uniforms

Families will also benefit from a new restriction on the number of compulsory branded school uniform and PE kit items.

From September, schools will be allowed to require a maximum of five essential items featuring their logo.

The policy follows a 2023 recommendation from the Jersey Competition Regulatory Authority (JCRA), which found that branded school uniforms could cost families between £115 and £294 per child.

The regulator also found that some schools required pupils to have as many as 11 compulsory branded items.

Many schools have already reduced the number of branded items they require ahead of the September 2026 deadline.

JCRA chief executive Tim Ringsdore said the changes should help families manage school costs while allowing schools to retain a sense of identity.

He said families were already facing pressure from rising prices when the authority carried out its review, adding that those pressures had continued.

Mr Ringsdore said limiting compulsory branded clothing should make a "real difference" to parents, while striking a better balance between school identity and affordability.

Support for families

Additional assistance with school uniform costs is also available through Autism Jersey.

Families can donate unwanted school clothing at the organisation's Boutique on The Parade. In return, they receive a 10% voucher to spend on new school uniform at M&S on King Street.

The Back to School Bonus, combined with the new restrictions on compulsory branded uniform, is intended to reduce some of the financial pressure facing Jersey families as children return to school this September.