COSTLY school uniforms are plunging struggling families into poverty, according to the manager of a foodbank.

Since the beginning of the summer holidays, demand has doubled at Darlington’s King’s Church Foodbank and its manager believes school uniforms are partly to blame.

As reported by The Northern Echo, there has been a stark increase in the number of families turning to the foodbank for help in providing an extra meal a day to fill the gap left by school dinners.

Manager Caroline Todd believes the problem is exacerbated by the cost of uniforms, particularly in cases where families are expected to purchase items emblazoned with school logos.

A rising number of schools across the North-East encourage pupils to attend in full uniform, purchased from selected suppliers, with blazers, jumpers and PE kits usually bearing logos.

At St Aiden’s Academy in Darlington, parents are told to order uniforms from the school directly at a cost of around £66 including an optional jumper, with a compulsory PE kit for younger pupils priced at £17.

The policy at Middlesbrough’s Outwood Academy states that the school’s uniform supplier is Trutex.

According to their website, Trutex’s prices begin at £25.44 for a blazer, £11.06 for a shirt or blouse and £11.06 for boys’ trousers or £14.37 for girls’ trousers, with a tie priced at £5.53 and a PE kit starting from £32.17 for a polo shirt, jersey, shorts and socks.

The cost of a uniform for one pupil bought from Trutex would be at least £74.20 for the essentials, with optional jumpers and other items also on sale.

Darlington’s Carmel College and Haughton Academy are among the schools who ask parents to buy uniforms through Elizabeth’s Embroidery, which carries a similar cost.

However, Elizabeth’s Embroidery also sells a separate school badge which could potentially be stitched onto cheaper items of clothing.

Ms Todd has called for more schools to sell such badges in a bid to allow parents the freedom to shop at cheaper outlets.

She said: “The biggest thing we’re seeing these summer holidays is the amount of people coming to us asking for uniforms.

“They are really expensive and families are often forced down a certain route to buy them as they’ve got badges on... it’s too much for people who are struggling and we’re seeing people in food poverty as a result.

“They are making cut backs on food in order to get their child a uniform as schools will send them home if it’s not correct.

“It’s a significant cost, especially if you have more than one child and have to clothe them from top to bottom.”

King’s Church offers second-hand uniform items for 50p to anyone struggling. They also accept donations of used uniforms in good condition.