FOODSTOCK founder Paul Doherty has called for urgent action from Stormont and Boards of Governors to tackle the cost of school uniforms.

It comes as Foodstock, based on the Andersonstown Road, revealed that 965 children and young people have already been kitted out through its pre-loved uniform initiative this summer. More than 1,500 children and young people were kitted out through the initiative last summer with Foodstock now expecting to exceed that figure before the scheme finishes in mid-September.

Paul Doherty said: “What we are seeing is community solidarity stepping up where government has clearly let too many families down.

“Last summer, more than 1,500 children and young people were kitted out through our uniform initiative. We are already at 965 this year and we still have another month to go.

“People across the community are stepping up, donating good-quality uniforms, volunteering their time and making sure resources are shared. Community solidarity in action.

“But they should not have to continually step in because government has failed to keep pace with the real pressures facing families.”

Doherty welcomed elements of the new school uniform legislation introduced this year, including stronger requirements around affordability, minimising branded items and improving choice for parents, but said Stormont had failed to go far enough.

“Stormont too often feels like a talking shop. We have heard plenty about tackling school uniform costs, but families need to see action in their pockets," he added.

“The legislation gives the Department of Education the power to introduce a cap on uniform costs, yet that power has still not been brought into operation.

“If government accepts that excessive uniform costs are a problem, and it has given itself the legal power to cap those costs, then what are we waiting for?"

He said there is also a clear responsibility on Boards of Governors.

"They should be looking at their own uniform policies now and asking whether every compulsory item is genuinely necessary, whether branding can be reduced, whether parents have real choice over suppliers and whether the overall cost is affordable.

“Boards of Governors do not have to wait for another announcement from Stormont. They can act now to reduce unnecessary costs for families.”

Doherty also called for an urgent review of the school uniform grant.

The current allowance is £42.90 for an eligible primary-school pupil, while the total available for a post-primary pupil under-15, including PE clothing, is £87.60, rising to £93.60 for pupils aged 15 and over. Those rates were introduced in 2022 and remain unchanged in 2026.

Doherty said: “Food, energy, housing and almost every other household cost has risen over the past four years, yet these uniform payments have stood still.

“A £42.90 primary-school grant in 2026 simply does not reflect the reality families are facing.

“We also need to look again at eligibility. There are working families who sit above the qualifying thresholds but are still under huge financial pressure, particularly when they have two or three children returning to school at the same time."

Foodstock’s Community Solidarity Hub at 150 Andersonstown Road is open Monday to Saturday, 9am–1.30pm.