Contact

Postal address
Revenues and Benefits Service
PO Box 490
Rochdale OL16 9AJ

Tel: 0845 121 2970
Email: Revenues and Benefits

Opening times

Telephone lines
Monday-Friday 8am-8pm
Saturday 9am-1pm

School - clothing grants and vouchers

You can claim a uniform grant for your child, or for a child that you are responsible for, as long as they go to secondary school. If you do not agree with the decision you can ask us to tell you, in writing, why we have not been able to give you a school uniform grant.

You cannot claim a school uniform grant if the child is at primary school or in the sixth form.

Qualifying for a school uniform grant

To qualify, you or your partner must get one of the following:

  • Income Support or income-based Jobseeker's Allowance
  • The guaranteed part of Pension Credit
  • Support under Part VI of the Immigration and Asylum Act 1999
  • Child Tax Credit

If you get Child Tax Credit, the following rules also apply.

  • You should not also be getting Working Tax Credit
  • Your total household income must be low enough – we can tell you more about this
  • You or your partner should not work more than 16 hours a week

You and your partner must also:

  • Get Child Benefit for the child you are responsible for; and
  • Live in the Rochdale borough, which includes Heywood and Middleton

Claiming

Fill in our uniform grant claim form.

You can get a claim form from:

  • Your child’s school
  • Any Council Customer Service Centre
  • The Revenues and Benefits Service

You cannot claim a uniform grant from the Department for Works and Pensions (DWP).

Even if you live in Rochdale and your child goes to a school out of the Rochdale Borough, you still need to claim it from us.

If you have recently claimed Housing Benefit or Council Tax Benefit, or both, and ticked the boxes to claim a uniform grant, you do not need to fill in a separate form.

Providing proof

We need to see original proof that you are getting Child Benefit for your child and:

  • Income Support or income-based Jobseeker's Allowance
  • The guaranteed part of Pension Credit
  • Child Tax Credit, or
  • Support under Part VI of the Immigration and Asylum Act 1999

The proof you give us can be:

  • Your benefit payment books
  • A recent award letter from the DWP, The Pension Service or HM Revenue and Customs, or
  • The letter from NASS (National Asylum Support Service at the Home Office) to show that you are getting support under Part VI of the Immigration and Asylum Act 1999

Returning your form and proof of benefits

  • You can take your form, along with original proof of your benefits, to your local Council Customer Service Centre. Staff there will check and copy your documents free of charge and then send the copies to us with your filled-in form.
  • Or, you can post your claim form to Revenues & Benefits at the address in the right column. For security reasons, please do not post your benefit payment books to us .
  • You could also ask the school if they would send the form to us once you have filled it in.

The grant

If your child qualifies for a uniform grant you must use the grant within six months of the date of issue.

You can put the uniform grant towards the cost of your child’s uniform, and you can use the letter at most shops that sell school uniforms. However, it is a good idea to check that the shop will accept the grant.

You can only claim one school uniform grant for each child that qualifies, every 12 months. We do not normally issue school uniform grants for children who are due to leave secondary education within three months.

Re-applying for a school uniform grant

We usually give one uniform grant every 12 months for each child that qualifies.

If you want to claim another uniform grant, you should fill in the form and return it to us, with proof of your income see the sectionon 'providing proof'. If you send all the proof we ask for straight away, it will help us to process your claim quickly.

Starting school

If your child is due to start school for the first time, please fill in a new entrant form a few weeks before they start school. The school will normally put one of these forms in the pack that they give you before your child starts school.

Other financial help

If you have a child who is aged 16 to 18 and still in full-time education, they may qualify for an Education Maintenance Allowance. They may also be able to get financial help towards the cost of books, equipment, travelling expenses, and other costs connected with going to school.

Getting help

You can telephone us for help and advice using the Revenues & Benefits contact details in the right hand column, could contact your local Citizens Advice Bureau or Welfare Rights Service.

  • Welfare Rights Service - free and confidential information and assistance on benefits, housing and debt issues.

Citizens Advice Bureau

Comment on our service

We would like to know what you think about this information or about the service we provide to you; please use the contact details in the right hand column to get in touch.