Pupil Development Grant - Update (15th July 2021)

Pupils who are eligible for Free School Meals may also be entitled to a PDG access – school uniform grant. See below for further details.

Pupil Development Grants

Get £125 to buy school uniform, equipment, sports kit and kit for activities outside of school for your child.

New school years are now eligible and the criteria has been extended to include laptops or tablets.

Learners eligible for free school meals can apply for this grant if they are:

• in reception class at primary school from September 2021
• in school years 1, 3, 5, 7, 8, 9, 10 and 11 from September 2021
• in a special school, special needs resource base or pupil referral unit and are aged 4, 5, 7, 9, 11, 12, 13, 14 or 15 from September 2021

For Year 7 learners the grant is £200, recognising the increased costs associated with starting secondary school.

Pupils who receive Free School Meals due to transitional protection arrangements do not qualify for this funding.

Funding for looked-after children is available in every school year. The Local Authority in which the ‘looked after child’ attends school is responsible for issuing the grant

Families are only entitled to claim once per child, per school year. Payments will be issued based on automated eligibility checks and these checks will be carried out on a regular basis. The payment will normally be made in to your bank account, we may need to contact you to obtain this information.

Funding for the 2020 to 2021 scheme is now closed. The new scheme for 2021 to 2022 is open from 15 July 2021.

PLEASE NOTE – you will only need to apply for the grant or Free School Meals if your child is in Reception or Year 7 in September. For all other years we hold the details and will contact you directly. If you have not been contacted by the second week of August, please contact the Benefits Team.

The contact for the benefits team is 01495 742291.  The link to the website is Pupil Development Grants | Torfaen County Borough Council