Isle of Anglesey County Council

The School Essentials Grant helps families on lower incomes to purchase:

• school uniform including coats and shoes
• school sports kit including footwear
• laptops and tablets (School Essentials Grant should only be used when a school cannot loan equipment to the family)
• uniform for enrichment activities, including scouts, guides, cadets, martial arts, sports, performing arts, dance
• equipment, such as school bags and stationery
• specialist equipment for new curriculum activities such as design and technology
• equipment such as waterproofs for trips out of school hours

How much you can receive

• £125 for primary aged pupils in reception to year 6
• £200 for pupils entering year 7 (to reflect the increased cost of starting secondary school).
• £125 for years 8 to 11

One payment is made per child per academic year.

Pupils who receive free school meals under transitional protection do not qualify for this funding.

Applications for the School Essential Grant 2025 to 2026 academic year will close on 31 May 2026.

If you are not sure whether you are entitled to the grant, then contact the office.

• Employment and Support Allowance (income based)
• Income Support
• Job Seekers Allowance (income based)
• Pension Credit (Guarantee)
• Help under Immigration and Asylum Seekers Act 1999 (No recourse to public funds)
• Universal Credit with annualised net earned income of no more than £7,400

If your child gets free school meals (and not transitionally protected), you do not need to apply every year, unless there has been a change in your circumstances.

The scheme for the academic year from September 2026 is expected to open on the 1 July 2026. Claims for the academic year from September 2026 cannot be made until then.

Apply for the School Essentials Grant

If you are applying for more than one child, keep the pupils on the same application form. Make sure their details and school they attend are correct.

We aim to make payment within 28 days of getting your form. For claims made in August 2026, payments may be made after the school year starts. We advise early application.

If your child starts school in September (reception), then we need a new application form for the child.

You may receive different payments on different days for each subsequent child.

Children are not eligible for a School Uniform Grant payment once they finish year 11.

This is because these are not compulsory years and are not funded by Welsh Government.

If a child has recently come into your care or parental responsibility has changed, please contact us as soon as possible.

You may be eligible if you get one of the qualifying benefits or have a National Asylum Seeker Service (NASS) number.

Contact us with:

• your full name
• address
• NASS number
• the pupil’s full name
• the pupil's date of birth
• the name of the school the pupil is going to

Payments are made by BACS to your bank account. If your bank details are out of date, contact us to update them.

Email benefits@anglesey.gov.wales and include your:

• full name
• address
• National Insurance number

If it’s an ongoing claim, tells us by 1 June 2026 to allow time for the update.

It is your responsibility to inform the Benefits Department of any changes to your family or financial circumstances.

Overpayments may be recovered if changes are not reported.

Receiving UPFSM does not automatically entitle you to a School Essentials Grant.

If you receive a qualifying benefit, you must apply.

Applications can take up to 28 days to process. Please allow this time before contacting us.

In your email, tell us:

• your full name
• address
• National Insurance number or application reference
• your child’s name
• your child's date of birth

We are unable to respond without the required information

During summer months we will only respond to enquiries older than 28 days.