Loans for school uniforms

Are your children due to change school?

Have teenage sons or daughters grown out of last year's blazers?

School uniforms can be expensive.

We are still offering loans of up to £150 towards the cost of school uniforms (and other back-to-school costs) at a very reasonable rate of interest: 1% a month (12.68% APR).

Please remember that your school might have a second-hand uniform shop which may be a better solution than taking out a loan.

If you want to apply for a school uniform loan,

• you must first join DCCU.
• you can do this by putting just £5 into a savings account (money which remains yours)
• then you can fill in an application form for a loan.

Loans are financed from fellow members' savings so we need to be sure that borrowers are able to repay.

• you will be asked to provide details of your income and expenditure.
• each application will be assessed individually.
• loans are repayable weekly or monthly, over a period of your choice, up to a maximum of one year.

To join DCCU and apply for a school uniform loan, come along to one of our offices:

• Herne Bay Council Offices: Mondays 10.00am to 12.30pm
• Whitstable Public Library: Saturdays 10.00am to 12.30pm
• Citizens Advice Bureau, 3 Westgate Hall Rd, Canterbury: Saturdays 10.00am to 12.30pm
• Querns Road Community Centre, Canterbury: by arrangement. Phone the centre to fix a time: 01227 478958
• Northgate Community Centre, Canterbury: Thursdays 10.30 to 12.00
• Canterbury Primary School, City View, Franklyn Road: Third Wednesday in every month (August 18; September 15; October 20, etc) 2.00 to 3.00pm.

Please bring with you:

• proofs of your identity and address [a new-style driving licence, passport, or benefit letter, and a recent utility bill or bank statement]
• a copy of a recent bank statement and evidence of any wages or benefits you receive.
  

The School Uniform Loan scheme was initiated a few years ago with the help of the Soroptimists International, a worldwide organisation of women working on community projects. It has currently received support from the Kent Children's Trust.

By making it possible to pay school uniform costs over a period of time, DCCU, the Kent Children's Trust and Canterbury Soroptimists hope to make life a bit more manageable for families in the Canterbury district.