Council launches targeted support to help low-income Wealden families manage back-to-school costs
Publish Date: 18 August 2026
Wealden District Council has launched a new £100,000 Back-to-School Payment scheme to help eligible families manage the immediate costs of sending children to school.
The new scheme offers a one-off payment of £50 for each child in an eligible household, funded by the council’s Cost of Living Reserve. The funding is limited and awards will be made on a first come, first served basis, so families are urged to apply as soon as possible.
The scheme is designed to provide practical help with some of the costs associated with the start of the school year, including school uniform, shoes, equipment and other essentials. This scheme runs alongside existing support available to families, including East Sussex County Council’s Crisis and Resilience Fund, and Holiday Food and Fun programme, as well as established advice and crisis-support pathways.
Applications are open for a three-week period from today until midnight on 8 September 2026. The scheme may close earlier if the available £100,000 funding is fully committed. Families should apply early and make sure they submit all supporting evidence with their application.
To be eligible, applicants must receive Child Benefit and at least one other qualifying benefit. Only one application can be made per household. Applications must include all required evidence, as applications without the required evidence may be delayed or refused.
Councillor Daniel Manvell, Alliance for Wealden (Labour Party) and lead councillor for Housing, Benefits and Revenues, said, “The end of August is back to school time, with parents and carers facing the cost of new uniforms, sports kits, shoes, and stationery. This can be really expensive, so we are pleased to give this extra support to help up to 2,000 children and their families pay for these essentials.
We can afford to do this because we passed our Cost-of-Living budget earlier this year, where we set aside money to help take pressure off people at difficult times like this.
While this fund is for low-income families and those with disabilities, we know a lot of people across Wealden are struggling. We are continuing to look at ways we can support more residents facing cost-of-living pressures.”
This fund has been supported by the Wealden Partners council group.
Check eligibility information and apply online through the council’s Cost of Living for Residents page.