DESPERATE low-income parents are being forced to appeal to charities for help with buying school uniforms, it has been revealed.

The news comes after the controversy surrounding Droitwich Spa High School's decision to completely change its uniforms - then clamped down on pupils wearing the incorrect outfits.

Worcestershire County Council has the power to support low-income families faced with the high costs of uniforms but in recent years it has cut its budget by 60 per cent - forcing desperate parents to turn to charities for help.

It says the cuts were because the money was not being spent as families were already turning to alternative funding sources.

Head of education policy Colin Weeden said: "Clothing grants are not statutory but because we do recognise there is a need we set a sum of money aside each year to help parents.

"We do this in the knowledge that there are charities set up to help parents and schools also run their own schemes. So we try to work together with them."

Mr Weeden said that the county council found that its budget of about £20,000 a year was not being spent and so gradually reduced it. It now spends £8,500 per year helping parents to buy school uniforms.

Disgrace

But Worcester MP Michael Foster condemned the cutbacks, saying: "Families should not be forced to go to charities for help with school uniform costs - that is why Government granted local councils the power to act.

"But someone at County Hall decided to cut the budget that helped the least well-off in our schools. It is a disgrace, and whoever did it should own up now and face the shame of the whole county."

Mr Foster said that Worcester Municipal Charities had written to him about the situation.

It said it had spent £3,500 helping 52 families in the county to buy the correct school uniform this year.

Mr Foster said: "Schools take pride in their school uniform, and that's good. But to put kids into the position of not having the uniform so they face the stigma or bullying, or it forces the schools to take the action of sending a pupil home because of the callous actions of councillors shows what a heartless bunch they are."

Jo Coles, manager of the city school outfitters shop Schooltogs in New Street, said it costs parents between £100 and £150 to get their children kitted out when they start secondary school, and between £400 and £600 for private school uniforms.

"We try to make sure everything is reasonably priced," she said, "but uniforms can be very expensive for families."

Mr Foster has now written to Education Chief Julien Kramer about the matter.

n Here are some sample costs of uniforms.

Droitwich Spa High School: polo shirt with school logo £10, sweatshirt with school logo £11.

Cherry Orchard Primary School in Timberdine Close, Worcester: sweatshirts between £7.50 - £9, polo shirts £6 - £7, cardigans £8.50 - £10 and fleeces £11.50.

Public school uniforms are available through Schooltogs priced between £400 and £600.