School Uniform Legislation
In February 2025, the Minister of Education, Paul Givan MLA, introduced the School Uniforms (Guidelines and Allowances) Bill to the Assembly, with the aim of making uniforms more affordable for families and to ensure that the cost of a uniform is never a barrier to a child applying to the school of their choice.
The Bill gained Royal Assent on 19 February 2026 and became the School Uniforms (Guidelines and Allowances) Act (Northern Ireland) 2026.
The Act places a duty on the Department of Education to publish statutory guidelines which all grant-aided and independent primary and post-primary schools must adhere to. These statutory guidelines came into operation on 20 February 2026 and have replaced the previous Departmental guidance, which was non-statutory (circular 2011/04).
The link below is to the statutory School Uniforms Guidelines which are operational for the 2026/27 school year.