The True Cost of the School Gates

Starting school should be an exciting milestone. Choosing the right bag, new shoes, and that first school uniform is a rite of passage for every child. But behind the excitement, for many families, especially those with disabled children, it comes at a heavy cost. Uniforms are already expensive, and when you add in the need for adapted clothing, extra replacements due to wear and tear from mobility aids, or sourcing specialist suppliers, the bill climbs even higher. For disabled pupils, simply walking—or wheeling—through the school gates can cost significantly more.

The rising cost of school uniforms has been making headlines, but for families with disabled children, the financial burden is even heavier. For a young wheelchair user, school uniform expenses often go beyond simply buying the right jumper or blazer. What is already an expensive requirement for many households becomes an even greater barrier to education for disabled children.

And this sits on top of the already higher cost of raising a disabled child. Research shows it can cost up to three times more to raise a disabled child compared with a non-disabled child. Essential extra costs include specialist equipment, insurance, therapy, home adaptations, and higher fuel bills from travelling to appointments or running a larger wheelchair-accessible vehicle. As one parent explained:

“There are so many additional costs to having a child with physical disabilities including paying for equipment, not being able to work as much, additional fuel costs for driving to appointments, clubs etc, additional fuel costs because of big heavy WAV, adapting house, etc etc that then when other things become more expensive too, it all adds to the pressure.”

In 2025, this pressure is only intensifying. Disability benefits are under the spotlight, with government reforms to Personal Independence Payment (PIP) and Universal Credit creating deep uncertainty. PIP is a lifeline for many families, but losing access to it would push more disabled households into poverty at a time when costs are already spiralling.

We define ‘extra costs’ as the additional money a disabled household needs to achieve the same standard of living as a non-disabled household— Scope calls this the Disability Price Tag. For 2024–2025, disabled households need on average £1,095 more every month just to keep up. That’s an 8% rise on the previous year.

Sarah Pugh, CEO of Whizz Kidz said;

“That first day of school should be filled with joy — choosing a bag, trying on a new uniform, and stepping into a world of opportunity. But for too many families of disabled children, that joy is overshadowed by anxiety about how to afford the basics. Adapted uniforms, extra shoes worn down by mobility aids, the cost of getting to school — it all adds up.

No parent should have to choose between paying the bills and making sure their child feels included on their first day at the school gates. We urgently need better support from government so that disabled young people are not priced out of an education that should belong to every child.”

When something as basic as a school uniform becomes unaffordable, it highlights a bigger truth: disabled children and their families are being priced out of everyday life. These extra costs are not luxuries—they are essential. Without action, government reforms risk widening this gap even further.