THOUSANDS of hard pressed families will this week receive vouchers to pay for school clothing.

More than 25,000 letters are being sent out to city families to ease the strain of buying school uniforms.

Earlier this year, it was discovered 5000 low income families who were in line to automatically receive a £52 school clothing grant has not applied.

As part of the city council's new anti-poverty strategy People Make Glasgow Fairer, the award has been increased by £5 to £52 per child, per year.

This means more than 20,000 parents will receive a backdated payment of £5 to reflect the increase.

City council leader Frank McAveety said: "This is one of the first outcomes from People Make Glasgow Fairer backed by the Poverty Leadership Panel.

"I'm please we have managed to get the money out as quickly as possible to those who need it and are entitled to it.

"Hopefully it means the money can be used to buy new uniform items for the start of the new term in January.

"And although not a huge sum, £5 could be used towards vests, tights, hats and gloves to keep out the cold to and from school."

To identify families who were entitled to a clothing grant but had not claimed it a project team matched data of those who received housing benefit and council tax reduction with details of all children living and attending school in Glasgow.

As a result, the payment can now be automatically sent to those who are entitled to it.

To streamline the process and make it easier for parents, the council will now also pay this sum routinely each year to those who are entitled without people having to apply for it.

The vouchers will be released in several batches over a two week period with people starting to receive them from tomorrow.