Policy, Organisation and Rules

10.1.1.1 The movement's uniforms are protected under the Chartered Associations (Protection of Names and Uniforms) Act 1926.

10.1.1.2 It is unlawful for persons not entitled as members of the movement to wear them, except for the purposes of entertainment and then only provided that they are not brought into contempt.

10.2.1.1 The appropriate uniform, as described in this chapter, may be worn by all members of the movement.  

10.3.1.1 In the organisation of all scouting activities, priority is invariably given to considerations of safety in specifying what form of dress is to be worn.

10.3.1.2 Weather conditions and other such considerations must be taken into account. The well-being of members must take precedence over formality of dress.

10.4.1.1 When cultural requirements or religious needs require, members of recognised faith communities may wear appropriate clothing of a style and fashion in accordance with their beliefs as part of their Scout uniform.

10.4.1.2 Knives must not be worn with uniform except for religious reasons.

10.5.1.1 Items of official uniform:

1. Squirrels Red crew neck sweatshirt
2. Group scarf
3. Woggle.

10.6.1.1 Items of official uniform:

1. Turquoise crew neck sweatshirt
2. Group scarf
3. Maroon woggle or one of another colour that identifies the lodge or team.

10.7.1.1 Items of official uniform:

1. Dark green crew neck sweatshirt
2. Group scarf and identifying Six woggle.

10.8.1.1 Items of official uniform:

1. Teal green long sleeved shirt or blouse
2. Navy blue trousers or skirt
3. Group scarf and woggle
4. Leather Scout belt and buckle.

10.9.1.1 Items of official uniform:

1. Dark blue jersey
2. Light blue long sleeve shirt or blouse
3. Smart navy blue trousers or skirt
4. Group scarf and woggle
5. Leather Scout belt and buckle
6. Seaman’s Class 2 round cap with ‘Sea Scout’ tallyband.

10.9.1.2 Optional items a Group may decide to have as part of its official uniform:

1. Lanyard (worn only with Bosun’s call)

10.10.1.1 Items of official uniform:

1. Light blue long sleeve shirt or blouse
2. Smart navy blue trousers or skirt
3. Group scarf and woggle
4. Leather Scout belt and buckle
5. Air Scout beret with cloth badge.

10.11.1.1 Items of official uniform:

1. as appropriate to section.

10.11.1.2 Optional items a Group may decide to have as part of its official uniform:

1. as appropriate to section.

10.12.1.1 Items of official uniform:

1. Beige long sleeve or short sleeve shirt or blouse
2. Explorer Unit scarf and woggle (a Group scarf may be worn if specified in the Partnership Agreement)
3. Smart navy blue trousers or skirt
4. Scout belt/Explorer Belt and buckle/Young Leader buckle once achieved.

10.13.1.1 Items of official uniform:

1. Light blue long sleeve shirt or blouse
2. Explorer Unit scarf and woggle (a Group scarf may be worn if specified in the Partnership Agreement) or blue tie
3. Smart navy blue trousers or skirt 
4. Scout belt/Explorer Belt and buckle/Young Leader buckle once achieved
5. Seaman’s Class 2 round cap with ‘Explorer Sea Scout’ tallyband or peaked Officer’s hat with white top and Sea Scout cap badge. Each Explorer Unit to wear the same headwear option.

10.13.1.2 Optional items an Explorer Sea Scout Unit may decide to have as part of its official uniform:

1. Lanyard (worn only with Bosun’s call).

10.14.1.1 Items of official uniform:

1. Light blue long sleeve shirt or blouse
2. Explorer Unit scarf and woggle (a Group scarf may be worn if specified in the Partnership Agreement) or blue tie
3. Smart navy blue trousers or skirt
4. Scout belt / Explorer Belt and buckle / Young Leader buckle once achieved
5. Air Scout beret with cloth badge.

10.15.1.1 Items of official uniform:

1. Stone long sleeve or short sleeve shirt or blouse
2. Group scarf (or scarf for Explorer Unit, Scout Network or Gilwell, as entitled) and woggle   
3. On formal occasions, a blue tie
4. Scout belt / Explorer Belt and buckle.

10.15.1.2 Items of official uniform for which there is a personal choice:

1. Smart navy blue trousers
2. Smart navy blue skirt.

10.16.1.1 Items of official uniform:

1. Light blue long sleeve shirt or blouse
2. Smart navy blue trousers or skirt
3. Group scarf (or scarf for Explorer Unit, Scout Network, Gilwell, as entitled) and woggle
4. On formal occasions, a blue tie
5. Scout belt / Explorer Belt and buckle
6. Peaked Officer hat with white top and Sea Scout cap badge
7. Naval pattern tricorn hat option for females holding uniformed
   appointments.

10.17.1.1 Items of official uniform:

1. Light blue long sleeve shirt or blouse
2. Smart navy blue trousers or skirt
3. Group scarf (or scarf for Explorer Unit, Scout Network, Gilwell, as entitled) and woggle
4. On formal occasions, a blue tie 
5. Scout belt / Explorer belt and buckle
6. Air Scout beret with cloth badge. 

10.18.1.1 Uniform:  

10.18.1.2 Badges:

1. The Membership Badge and the appropriate County, District and Group name tape may be worn on the shirt selected by the band.  
2. Individual badges earned, emblems and awards may also be worn on the uniform selected by the band.  

10.18.1.3 Additional options: SV 

1. Protective clothing for drummers  
2. Sashes, music pouches, white gloves, belts and socks as appropriate  
3. Berets with the arrowhead badge only, for competitions where the rules necessitate the wearing of headgear  
4. Lanyards are not permitted except as part of Sea Scout uniform.  

10.19.1.1 Kilts and pleated tartan skirts may be worn as part of the appropriate uniform, subject to the following colour:  

1. in Scotland, male members who are entitled to wear uniform may wear the tartan kilt of any tartan
2. elsewhere, male members who are entitled by descent to wear tartan may wear the kilt
3. in Scotland, female members who are entitled to wear uniform may wear a pleated tartan skirt of any tartan  
4. elsewhere, female members who are entitled to wear tartan may wear a pleated tartan skirt 
5. outside Scotland, where members are entitled to wear tartan, male holders of appointments may wear the kilt of their own or Scout tartan and female holders of appointments may wear a pleated tartan skirt of their own or Scout tartan  
6. in Northern Ireland, male members who are entitled to wear uniform may wear the saffron kilt  
7. elsewhere, male members who are entitled by descent to do so may wear the saffron kilt  
8. in Northern Ireland, female members who are entitled to wear uniform may wear a saffron pleated skirt  
9. Elsewhere, female members who are entitled by descent to wear saffron may wear a saffron pleated skirt
10. Outside Northern Ireland, where members are entitled to wear saffron, male holders of appointments may wear a saffron kilt and female holders of appointments may wear a pleated saffron skirt.  

10.19.1.2 The following items are correct wear with the tartan kilt: 

1. plain leather sporran 
2. plain lovat green knee length socks and green garter tabs 
3. black shoes 
4. outer jacket tailored for wear with the kilt (optional).  

10.19.1.3 The following items are correct wear with the saffron kilt:  

1. plain leather sporran plain knee length socks of a traditional colour (for example green, fawn or white) 
2. black or brown shoes 
3. outer jacket tailored for wear with the kilt (optional).  

10.19.1.4 Where a Section is wearing saffron, the sock and shoe colours must be the same for the whole Section. This decision is to be taken by the Section Leader after consensus has been sought.  

10.20.1.1 All Scout award medals including the Award for Merit and its Bar, Silver Acorn and its Bar and the Silver Wolf, are worn around the neck. Medals that are pinned to the uniform are worn above the Membership award on the left breast. 

10.20.1.2 Scout award cloth badges are worn on the uniform shirt in the following order from the wearer's shirt buttons to the wearer’s right shirt sleeve, left to right: awards for gallantry, meritorious conduct, good service, the Chief Scout's Personal Award, Commendation Award, Chief Scout’s length of service awards. Awards may be placed on multiple lines following the same award order if they don’t fit within the space on the shirt as described.  

10.20.1.3 The Bronze Wolf (awarded by the World Scout Committee) may be worn on Scout uniform. The medal is worn around the neck and the cloth badge worn above this line of emblems.  

10.20.1.4 The Cornwell Scout Badge and its emblem are worn above this line of emblems.  

10.20.1.5 Only the highest award received for good service and its emblem and the highest award for long service may be worn.  

10.20.1.6 King’s and Queen’s medals (i.e. National Honour), war medals, decorations and orders, and decorations conferred by foreign governments may be worn on Scout uniform on appropriate occasions. They are worn on uniform above the Membership Award on the left breast.  

10.20.1.7 Ribbons of decorations conferred by National Scout Associations in other nations are worn below the emblems of United Kingdom Scout Association decorations.  

10.20.1.8 The life-saving medals of the Order of St. John and the Royal Humane Society, together with their ribbons, may be worn with uniform.  

10.20.1.9 When not wearing uniform, the insignia of a Scout award is represented by a brooch with the same design as the cloth emblem and may be worn by award holders.  

10.21.1.1 A Beaver, on entering the Cub Pack, may continue to wear the Chief Scout’s Bronze Award. The award must be removed when the Cub gains their Chief Scout’s Silver Award. It is to be worn on the right breast (as illustrated in Positions of Badges on Uniform).  

10.21.1.2 A Cub, on entering the Scout Troop, may continue to wear their Chief Scout’s Silver Award. The award must be removed when the Scout gains their Chief Scout’s Gold Award. 

10.21.1.3 A Scout on entering an Explorer Unit may continue to wear the Chief Scout’s Gold Award. The award must be removed when the Explorer gains the Chief Scout’s Platinum Award.  

10.21.1.4 An Explorer on entering the Scout Network may continue to wear the Chief Scout’s Platinum or Diamond Award or Queen’s Scout Award or King’s Scout Award badges. The Award must be removed when the next Award is gained.  

10.21.1.5 Cubs, Scouts and Explorers may also wear the current Joining In / Participation and Moving On Awards.  

10.21.1.6 The Explorer Belt and the badges for the King's Scout Award, Queen’s Scout Award, Queen’s Guide Award Badge, Scouts of the World Award,   may be worn on uniform by adults so entitled.  

10.22.1.1 Badges and awards must be obtained through Scout Stores or local authorised suppliers.  

10.22.1.2 The exception to 10.22.1.1 is the initial King’s Scout Award, the Explorer Belt, the Scouts of the World Award, Good Service awards, Length of Service awards as well as Meritorious Conduct and Gallantry awards and wood beads which are only available from UK Headquarters. Replacements are available from Scout Store. 

10.23.1.1 The World Membership Badge is the symbol of membership of world scouting and of The Scout Association as a part of world scouting.  

10.23.1.2 The World Membership Badge is the property of the World Scout Bureau and it may only be used or worn as permitted in these Rules.  

10.23.1.3 A metal form of the World Membership Badge is available for members of the movement to wear with ordinary clothes.  

10.24.1.1 The Arrowhead Badge is the symbol of The Scout Association and is part of The Scout Association’s Armorial Bearings.  

10.24.1.2 The Arrowhead Badge may be worn on activity or special garments.  

10.25.1.1 The name of the Group, Explorer Unit, or Scout Network may appear in red, green, blue, white or yellow lettering on a single tape no more than 12mm deep on a green background.  

10.25.1.2 The name of Sea and Air Scout Groups may appear in the same colours, but on a dark blue background.

10.26.1.1 Group, Unit or Network badges bearing distinctive identifying emblems and/or lettering and of any size up to 50mm deep by 38mm wide may be worn after approval by the County Commissioner to whom a drawing or specimen of the design must be submitted.  

10.26.1.2 District and County badges bearing distinctive identifying emblems and/or lettering and of any size up to 50mm deep by 38mm wide may be worn after approval by the County Commissioner to whom a drawing or specimen of the design must be submitted.  

A manufactured example of all District and County badges should be submitted subsequently to UK Headquarters. Send to the Head of Brand and Ambassadors, Communications and Marketing Team at UK Headquarters. 

10.26.1.3 A combined District and County badge bearing distinctive identifying emblems and/or lettering and of any size, rectangular in shape up to 50mm deep by 76mm wide may be worn after approval by the County Commissioner to whom a drawing or specimen of the design must be submitted. The District section must be on the left side of the badge, and the District and County sections are to be equal in width.  

A manufactured example of all such District and County badges should be submitted subsequently to UK Headquarters.  Send to the Head of Brand and Ambassadors, Communications and Marketing Team at UK Headquarters. 

10.26.1.4 Sponsored Scout Groups may wear, as a Group badge, an appropriate badge produced by organisations approved as Sponsoring Organisations by UK Headquarters. The decision whether to wear such a Group badge is the responsibility of the Group Scout Leader in consultation with the Group Leadership Team meeting and the Sponsoring Authority.  Approval as in Rule 10.26.1.1 applies.  

10.27.1.1 Scarves worn by members of a Scout Group as part of the appropriate uniform must all be of the same colour(s).

10.27.1.2 For Groups, the colour(s) are chosen by the Group Leadership Team Meeting, subject to the approval of the District Commissioner.  

10.27.1.3 Groups in the same District should wear scarves of different colours if possible.  

10.27.1.4 For Explorer Units and Scout Networks, the colour(s) are chosen by the Section’s members, subject to the approval of the District Commissioner  

10.27.1.5 Explorer Unit scarves may be chosen by the Explorer Unit members subject to the approval of the District 14-24 Leadership Team.  

10.27.1.6 District Scout Network scarves may be chosen by the Scout Network members with the approval of the District 14-24 Leadership Team.  

10.28.1.1 An Air Scout identification badge may be worn by any member of an Air Scout Group.  

10.28.1.2 Explorers, Scout Network members or adult members associated with an Air Scout Group may also wear the badge.  

10.29.1.1 Scouts, Explorers, Scout Network members and adult members in or associated with a Group, Explorer Unit or Scout Network which is recognised by the Royal Navy or Royal Air Force may wear the appropriate R.N. or R.A.F. Recognition Badge.  

10.30.1.1 Cloth badges of The Duke of Edinburgh's Award are worn on uniform by youth members who are entitled to wear them.  

10.30.1.2 Only the badge of the highest Award gained may be worn.  

10.30.1.3 In the case of the Gold Award only, the badge may be worn on uniform by adults so entitled.  

10.31.1.1 Occasional badges in respect of national programmes, activities or events may be worn as directed and for such periods as decided by UK Headquarters.  

10.31.1.2 Occasional badges for wear by members of a Group, a District or County in connection with a special gathering, camp, event or anniversary must be approved by the County Commissioner to whom a drawing or specimen of the design must be submitted.  

10.31.1.3 Such badges must not be worn after a period of three months from the date of the conclusion of the occasion unless exceptionally authorised by the County Commissioner in respect of special circumstances for a further period not exceeding nine months.  

10.32.1.1 The Union Flag badge may be worn on uniform when travelling to and during an international Scouts activity and indefinitely on return.  

10.33.1.1 A black crepe band 50mm wide may be worn on the left arm above the elbow to denote mourning.  

10.34.1.1On first completion of the Getting Started modules, uniformed adults may wear the Gilwell woggle purchased from Scout Stores.  

10.35.1.1 The Scout Active Support Badge is an optional item to be worn on the adult uniform. 

10.35.1.2. For occasions when uniform is not worn, members may wear a metal Scout Active Support pin badge. 

10.36.1.1 Unless specifically mentioned elsewhere in the Rules of The Scout Association, badges of other organisations are not worn with uniform.  

10.36.1.2 Explorers, Scout Network members and adult members who have gained the Queen’s Guide Award may wear the badge on their uniform and is positioned above the Queen’s or King’s Scout Award. 

10.36.1.3 Scouts, Explorers, Scout Network members and adult members may wear with uniform the approved proficiency badges of a number of organisations involved with first aid and the saving of life.  

10.36.1.4 Scouts, Explorers, Scout Network members and adult members who hold approved First Aid or Life Saving qualifications for which there is no cloth badge may wear The Scout Association badge(s) as appropriate.  

10.37.1.1 See the illustrations at Badge positioning on uniforms.