Business
Free school uniform bank in Suffolk ‘vital’ say parents
BBC News, Suffolk
George King/BBCFor parents across Suffolk and further afield, buying school uniforms can prove pricey – setting them back hundreds of pounds per child.
Add in a recent increase in inflation, and the cost of kitting out the kids has become increasingly unaffordable for some families.
Some parents use school uniform banks where they can pick up everything from blazers, trousers and ties to clean underwear and shoes for free.
It is a service that can make a huge difference – but, as some parents at a uniform bank in Beccles have been telling us, it is a service that should perhaps not be needed at all.
‘It’s a real struggle’
“They shouldn’t have to be a thing, absolutely not, but they are a godsend and a blessing and they are just brilliant and really useful,” said 40-year-old Becky Mather.
“I have two teenage boys who grow very quickly, so you have to renew their stuff every year and you are looking at £100 per child at least.
“If they want the kids to wear a uniform they should issue a set of uniforms per child and then you just have to replace it if they break it, or make them more affordable.
“I am living on benefits at the moment and you just cannot afford uniform from your regular money – not if you want to eat at the same time. It’s a real struggle.”
George King/BBCUniform banks work in a similar way to foodbanks, in that they give people-in-need the opportunity to pick up essentials at no cost.
The latest data from the Department for Education (DfE) shows the average cost of a full uniform and PE kit for secondary school is £442.
Primary school parents can expect to fork out £343.
George King/BBCIn Beccles at the St Luke’s Church Centre, for example, Natalie Hull, 37, came away with a summer dress, a school skirt, a new tie, shirts, two polo shirts and new underwear.
“Somewhere like this is absolutely brilliant and it really helps out, because it is just a non-stop expense,” said the mother-of-two.
“I don’t know who is to blame – it’s just the economy, the uniforms being overpriced and the cost of living has gone up.
“We make cut-backs on trips and we haven’t been on a holiday abroad for years because we just cannot afford it.
“Nine times out of 10 I will get a second-hand uniform because new it is just extortionate.”
George King/BBCEarlier this year the government told schools that the number of compulsory branded items that they would be able to make parents purchase would be reduced.
It said seven in 10 secondary schools and 35% of primary schools in England could request three branded items, and a branded tie for secondary students.
The new rule was part of the Children’s Wellbeing and Schools Bill, which still has several parliamentary stages to go through before becoming law.
George King/BBC
George King/BBC“All the branded stuff is what costs the money – if you could have blazers and add your own patch then it would save an absolutely fortune,” said Laura Brockwell, 40.
“I work full-time but it’s still not enough to cover everyday living and then also uniform and shoes – is just extortionate.
“We’ve had to cut back on days out because that’s just expensive – if you have to choose between food and going out then you are going to choose food and uniforms.
“But that’s the way of living at the moment, unfortunately.”
George King/BBCExisting statutory guidance requires schools to consider the cost of their uniform so that it is not a deciding factor for parents when choosing schools.
The government claims parents will save around £50 per child through its new school uniform measures, which it plans to introduce in September 2026.
Fran Tuck, warden at St Luke’s Church Centre in Beccles, hoped it would make a difference.
“People are struggling and it seems such a shame they have to decide between buying uniform or having decent food,” she said.
“In an ideal world a uniform bank, like foodbanks and parish pantries, would not exist.
“But, unfortunately, people are living on the breadline and it is very difficult if you have three children and you are on a minimal income. Life is very hard.”
Business
Want To Buy A House In Karnataka? Know About The ‘Namma Mane’ Scheme With Affordable Housing & Subsidies
Last Updated:
The programme aims to make land ownership more accessible for eligible residents while supporting the government’s wider goal of providing housing for all.
Under the ‘Namma Mane’ housing scheme 50,000 residential plots will be distributed at concessional rates over the next two years.
What if owning a home became a little more achievable? In the latest Karnataka Budget, the state government has announced a series of housing initiatives aimed at expanding access to affordable homes and residential plots. From the ‘Namma Mane’ scheme offering concessional sites to increased subsidies for beneficiaries and plans for a massive sports complex in Anekal, the announcements signal a renewed push towards housing development across the state.
The Karnataka government has unveiled several housing and infrastructure initiatives in the latest state budget, including the distribution of thousands of residential plots and the construction of a large sports complex in Bengaluru’s Anekal taluk. The announcements are part of broader efforts to expand housing access and improve public infrastructure across the state.
Karnataka Budget Housing Scheme: Key Benefits
One of the key proposals is the introduction of the ‘Namma Mane’ housing scheme, under which 50,000 residential plots will be distributed at concessional rates over the next two years. The programme aims to make land ownership more accessible for eligible residents while supporting the government’s wider goal of providing housing for all.
The Housing Department has also set a new target of sanctioning one lakh houses under various housing schemes in the state. These houses will be approved based on the Beneficiary Led Construction (BLC) model, which allows eligible beneficiaries to construct their own homes with financial support from the government.
As part of this initiative, the government has increased the subsidy amount provided under housing schemes. For beneficiaries in the general category, the subsidy has been raised from Rs 1.20 lakh to Rs 2 lakh. Meanwhile, beneficiaries from Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes will receive increased assistance, with the subsidy rising from Rs 2 lakh to Rs 3 lakh.
The budget also introduces a change in the process used to select beneficiaries for state housing schemes. Instead of the traditional manual lottery system, selections will now be conducted through an online lottery in Gram Sabhas. The move is expected to improve transparency and streamline the allocation process.
In addition to housing initiatives, the Karnataka Housing Board has announced plans to develop a major sports facility in Anekal taluk of Bengaluru Urban district. The project, titled ‘KHB Surya Krida Grama’, will include the construction of an 80,000-seat cricket stadium designed to host international sporting events.
Meanwhile, the Karnataka Slum Development Board is continuing the implementation of housing projects under the Pradhan Mantri Awas Yojana (AHP). A total of 1.29 lakh houses are being constructed under the scheme, with 79,134 homes dedicated for the year 2025–26. The state government has allocated an additional grant of Rs 1,136 crore to support the project, providing permanent housing to many slum residents.
Since the Congress government came to power, Rs 7,328 crore has been spent on various housing schemes. So far, 4,19,454 houses have been completed and handed over to beneficiaries. The government has set a target to complete three lakh houses during the current year.
Authorities have also stated that steps will be taken to complete the 4.90 lakh houses sanctioned by the previous government, even though they were approved without grants.
March 07, 2026, 10:51 IST
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Business
‘Indians been good actors’: Why US ‘agreed to let’ India resume buying Russian oil temporarily – The Times of India
The United States has given “permission” to India to buy Russian oil already stranded at sea issuing a temporary waiver aimed at stabilising global oil supplies amid disruptions caused by the escalating conflict in West Asia.US President Donald Trump’s aide Scott Bessent referred to India as a “very good actor” for previously complying with Washington’s request to halt purchases of sanctioned Russian oil and said the temporary measure would help ease supply pressures in the global market.
The move comes a day after Washington issued a 30-day waiver permitting the sale of Russian crude currently stranded at sea to continue to India.
US cites temporary supply concerns
Speaking to Fox Business, US treasury secretary Bessent said the decision was intended to ease short-term supply constraints during the ongoing crisis.“The world is very well supplied in oil. The Treasury (Department) agreed to let our allies in India start buying Russian oil that was already on the water,” Bessent said.“The Indians had been very good actors. We had asked them to stop buying sanctioned Russian oil this fall. They did. They were going to substitute it with US oil,” he said.“But to ease the temporary gap of oil around the world, we have given them permission to accept the Russian oil. We may unsanction other Russian oil,” he added.Bessent also noted that a large volume of sanctioned crude remains stranded at sea stating that, “There are hundreds of millions of sanctioned barrels of sanctioned crude on the water,” he said, adding that “by unsanctioning them, Treasury can create supply.”“And we are looking at that. We are going to keep a cadence of announcing measures to bring relief to the market during this conflict,” he added.
‘Short term measures to help keep oil prices down’
Other officials in the Trump administration have also confirmed that Washington has “permitted” India to buy Russian crude that is already loaded on ships.Earlier, US energy secretary Chris Wright said the step was intended to quickly move existing oil supplies into the market.“We have implemented short term measures to help keep oil prices down. We are allowing our friends in India to take oil that is already on ships, refine it, and move those barrels into the market quickly. A practical way to get supply flowing and ease pressure,” Wright said in a post on X.In an interview with ABC News Live, Wright emphasised that the measure was temporary.“But as oil gets bid up a little bit because of those constraints coming out of the Strait of Hormuz, we’re taking a short-term action to say all this floating Russian oil storage that’s around Southern Asia, it’s China just backed up, China does not treat their suppliers well, so there’s a bunch of floating barrels just sitting there,” he said.“We’ve reached out to our friends in India and said, ‘Buy that oil. Bring it into your refineries’. That pulls stored oil immediately into Indian refineries and releases the pressure on other refineries around the world to buy oil that they’re no longer competing with the Indians for in that marketplace,” Wright added.“So we have a number of measures like that that are short-term and temporary. This is no change in policy towards Russia. This is a very brief change in policy just to keep oil prices down a little bit better than we could otherwise,” he further noted.
Waiver amid Strait of Hormuz tensions
The US Treasury earlier issued an order granting a 30-day licence allowing delivery and sale of Russian crude and petroleum products to India. The decision comes as shipping routes through the strategically important Strait of Hormuz face disruptions due to the ongoing conflict in the region.“President Trump’s energy agenda has resulted in oil and gas production reaching the highest levels ever recorded. To enable oil to keep flowing into the global market, the Treasury Department is issuing a temporary 30-day waiver to allow Indian refiners to purchase Russian oil,” Bessent said earlier.He stressed that the step was a limited measure and would not significantly benefit Moscow.“This deliberately short-term measure will not provide significant financial benefit to the Russian government, as it only authorises transactions involving oil already stranded at sea,” he said.“India is an essential partner of the United States, and we fully anticipate that New Delhi will ramp up purchases of US oil. This stop-gap measure will alleviate pressure caused by Iran’s attempt to take global energy hostage,” he added.
India’s oil supply position
The move comes months after the Trump administration imposed 25% punitive tariffs on India over its purchases of Russian oil, arguing that such imports were helping finance Moscow’s war against Ukraine.However, the tariffs were later lifted after the two countries agreed on a framework for an interim trade agreement and India committed to reducing imports from Russia while increasing purchases of American energy.India currently imports nearly 5.5–5.6 million barrels of crude oil per day, accounting for about 90% of its domestic consumption. Officials say the country’s energy position remains comfortable despite the regional tensions.Around 15 million barrels of crude are currently on tankers in the Arabian Sea and the Bay of Bengal, while vessels carrying another seven million barrels are waiting near Singapore. Additional tankers in the Mediterranean and the Suez Canal are also heading towards Indian ports and could arrive within a week.According to data from Kpler, India imported slightly over 1 million barrels per day of Russian crude in February, compared with 1.1 million bpd in January and 1.2 million bpd in December.Before the Ukraine war in 2022, Russian crude accounted for just 0.2% of India’s imports, but purchases increased sharply after Moscow began offering deep discounts.
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