Cheapest UK supermarkets to buy school uniform are revealed – plus new rule that can cut your bill

IT'S almost back to school time, and supermarkets throughout the UK are stocking a range of term-time essentials.

Key points

• Meanwhile trousers are listed for £8 to £16, or shoppers can pick up a two-pack of pleated skirts for £12 to £20.
• New legislation under the Children's Wellbeing and Schools Act will limit branded uniform items to a maximum of three pieces.
• It amounts to £1.50 to £2.50 each.
• Families are projected to save around £50 under this new legislation, coming into effect from September.
• While Tesco is the runner up, overall, Asda comes out on top for the lowest pricing in every category.

And some UK retailers are offering better deals on uniform buys than others.

While a new rule has been brought in to create uniforms more affordable for families, back to school shopping can still be a costly venture.

Nevertheless, if you compare the cost per item for school clothes throughout each retailer, you are sure to find the best value for your funds.

Asda shoppers can pick up a two-pack of polo shirts for £3 to £6, breaking down to £1.50 to £3 each, while a three-pack of long-sleeve shirts range from £4.50 to £7.50. It amounts to £1.50 to £2.50 each.

Two packs of trousers are available from £8 to £12, or £4 to £6 each, and a two-pack of pleated skirts is £8 to £14, or £4-£7 each, meaning the total for one pack of a top and bottoms will cost you from £23.50 to £39.50.

While long-sleeve shirts are available in three-packs for £10 to £19, or £3.33 to £6.33 each, at M&S, two polo shirts well set you back somewhere between £4.50 to £10, breaking down to £2.25 to £5 each.

While a pleated skirt ranges from £7 to £12, leading a total uniform cost of £32.50 to £58 for a shirt and bottoms, trousers are available in packs of two for £11 to £17, or £5.50 to £8.50 each.

While a two-pack of long-sleeve shirts is available for £9 to £17, or £4.50-£8.50 each, a two-pack of polo shirts at Next ranges from £6 to £12, breaking down to £3 to £6 each.

Meanwhile trousers are listed for £8 to £16, or shoppers can pick up a two-pack of pleated skirts for £12 to £20. It is £6 to £10 each, which means the total for a full uniform ranges from £41 to £65.

While long-sleeve shirts are available in packs of three from £4.50 to £9.50, breaking down to £1.50 to £3.17 each, at Sainsbury's, a two-pack of polo shirts ranges from £3 to £6, £1.50 to £3 each.

Two packs of trousers cost between £7 and £13. It equates to just £3.50 to £6.50 each, and a two-pack of pleated skirts is available for the same cost range, meaning parents will spend between £21.50 and £41.50.

Finally, Tesco offers a two-pack of polo shirts for £3 to £5. It equates to £1.50 to £2.50 each, and a three-pack of long-sleeve shirts goes from £5.50 to £9.50, which breaks down to £1.83 to £3.17 each.

While a pleated skirt costs between £6 and £8, meaning the total cost of uniform will range from £21.50 to £33.50, and a pack of two trousers is £7 to £11, or £3.50 to £5.50 each. Which shop is cheapest overall?

While both M&S and Next tend to be on the slightly pricier side, even so, plenty of parents may opt for these stores for quality and durability of the items, sainsbury's lands around the middle for competitive rates. What is the new school uniform rule?

It encompasses jumpers, blazers, trousers, and skirts, with ties not included in these restrictions for secondary schools.

This means the requirement for four items of branded uniform will be allowed if one of these is a tie.

Families are projected to save around £50 under this new legislation, coming into effect from September. School uniform cost comparison.

Notably, a whole uniform in this case refers to a shirt (polo or long-sleeve) and either a skirt or trousers.

Taken together, the developments around cheapest UK supermarkets to buy school uniform are revealed – plus new point to a situation that is still moving, and the coming days should bring more clarity.