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 the following Rules, 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 may 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 / Explorer Unit / Scout Network / universal / Gilwell / Scout Active Support scarf (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 or
   Scout Active Support Unit, 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 or
   Scout Active Support Unit, 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:

a. Members of Scout Marching Bands have two options from which the Band as a whole may choose one option:

• youth members may wear the official uniform shirt for their Section or the approved sweatshirt (for Cubs and Beavers only). Adults wear the adult official uniform shirt
• all members, including adults, wear the official uniform shirt i.e. the Scout, Explorer or the adult official uniform shirt.

b. Members wear a blue tie or the Group or other approved scarf and woggle

c. Members wear smart trousers or skirt. 

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:

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
2. Plain knee length socks of a traditional colour (e.g. green, fawn or white)
3. Black or brown shoes
4. 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 Scout awards and decorations (except the Silver Wolf, the Silver Acorn and its Bar, Award for Merit and its Bar, which are worn around the neck) and the emblems corresponding to them are worn immediately above the right breast.

10.20.1.2 Awards and decorations are worn 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, Commissioner’s Commendation, Chief Scout’s length of service awards.

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

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

10.20.1.5 King’s and Queen’s medals, war medals, decorations and orders, and decorations conferred by foreign governments may be worn on Scout uniform on appropriate occasions. The ribbons of King’s and Queen’s medals, war medals, decorations and orders, and ribbons of decorations conferred by foreign governments may be worn on uniform above the left breast pocket.

10.20.1.6 Ribbons of decorations conferred by foreign National Scout Associations are worn below the emblems of United Kingdom Scout Association decorations.

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

10.21.1.1 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 Scout 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. The Award will 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, Scouts of the World Award, Scout Wings Award and Young Leader Service Award may be worn on uniform by adults so entitled.

10.22.1.1 Badges and awards must be obtained through Scout Store, County Badge Secretaries, or District Badge Secretaries.

10.22.1.2 The exception to 10.22.1.1 above 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 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, Scout Network or Scout Active Support Unit 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 will 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 Leaders’ 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 Leaders’ Meeting, subject to the approval of the District Commissioner and the District Trustee Board.

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

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

10.27.1.5 Explorer Unit scarves may be chosen by the Explorer Unit subject to the approval of the District Commissioner and the District Trustee Board.

10.27.1.6 District Scout Network scarves may be chosen by the Scout Network members with the approval of the District Commissioner and the District Trustee Board.

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

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

10.29.1.1 Scouts, Explorers, Scout Network members and Leaders 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 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 going overseas on a scouting 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.

10.34.1.1 On completion of the Getting Started modules, uniformed adults may wear the Gilwell Turks Head woggle.

10.34.1.2 For occasions when uniform is not worn, uniformed adults may wear a metal pin badge depicting the Gilwell log and axe.

10.34.1.3 On completion of the Getting Started modules, non-uniformed adults may wear a metal pin badge depicting the Gilwell log and axe.

10.34.1.4 The Award for completion of training for Leaders, Managers and Supporters is the Wood Badge.

10.34.1.5 Leaders holding the Wood Badge may wear the Gilwell Scarf and woggle.

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.

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.