HELP for parents with school uniform costs in York could be taken away from people on certain benefits and given to more people on lower incomes instead.

The cost of kitting out teenagers in school uniform is a burden for many families and the problems poorer parents face were highlighted in a recent report by the National Association of Citizens' Advice Bureaux.

At the moment parents in York can claim a £75 grant when their child starts secondary school, and £25 each year after that, if they are on income support, job seekers' allowance or working families' tax credit.

Mark Ellis, assistant education officer at the City of York Council, said changes to the benefits system meant people on working families' tax credit may be on a larger income than parents who do not currently qualify.

He said: "We're still looking at it, but we are talking about introducing a different system where people would qualify if they had an income less than a certain amount. It would be more of a means test than just whether people are on benefit.

"We feel there are people out there who need it and we want to encourage as many people as possible to come forward."

A change to where the grant vouchers can be spent has also been worked out, which is to be introduced, subject to councillors' approval.

The grants scheme is paid for by a combination of council funding and funding from three charitable trusts, one of which, the Jane Wright Trust, lays down that its vouchers are spent at Rawcliffe's.

Because many other shops sell school clothes, as well as schools themselves, those parents who have received Jane Wright grants have said they would prefer to spend their vouchers elsewhere.

The new system will see parents getting a £50 voucher from the Jane Wright Trust and a £25 voucher from the council so they can spend the £25 elsewhere if they prefer.

Uniforms are compulsory in secondary schools and the checklist can vary from school to school.

At Oaklands School in Acomb, for example, pupils have to wear a black sweatshirt, which shows the school logo, costing between £10 and £13 and ties costing £2 each, available from school.

At Canon Lee in Clifton, pupils wear blazers, and it is £3 for a blazer badge and £2.50 for a tie from school. Schools like Fulford and Tadcaster Grammar have badged school jumpers.

More and more primary schools are also introducing uniforms. They are not compulsory, but are expected in many cases, and schools often help parents out with payment plans.