A school uniform recycling scheme in Sheffield has seen demand "go through the roof" this year, with founder Joanne McCarthy reporting 2026 as its "busiest year" yet. Uni-Recycle, a not-for-profit community interest company, sells donated uniforms cheaply at pop-up shops or gives them free to families most in need, helping ease the financial pressure of back-to-school costs. The surge comes as a new law took effect this month limiting schools to just three branded uniform items, a change the government says could save families up to £50 per child.

Since starting five years ago with just two bags of donations, Uni-Recycle has grown to hold thousands of items, run from Heeley Parish Church with support from charities and supermarkets. The project has had to add an extra sale to keep up with demand, and referrals for free uniforms have almost doubled this year to nearly 40 families, with fundraising sales growing from around £20 to nearly £400. Customers welcomed the branding law change, while research from Save the Children and the Baby Bank Alliance found almost half of parents worry about uniform costs, and a third have sacrificed personal spending to cover back-to-school expenses.