Labour estimates over half a million children have become eligible for free school meals during the pandemic

Labour estimates over half a million children have become eligible for free school meals during the pandemic, as party calls for free school meals extension over half-term and summer holidays

New Labour analysis estimates that over half a million children became eligible for free school meals during the first year of the pandemic, as the Party calls on the Government to extend free school meals over the May half-term and summer holidays.

Government data shows that from March to October 2020 over 11,000 children became eligible for free school meals each week as the Conservatives failed to support all families through the first phase of the pandemic. Combined with Labour FOI data this suggests over 418,000 children became eligible for free school meals from March – December 2020.

During this time, the Conservatives voted against feeding children during the October half-term and set out guidance which allowed the provision of miserly food parcels, in line with those shared online in January.

Kate Green MP, Labour’s Shadow Education Secretary, will call on the Government to extend free school meals during next week’s half-term break and the upcoming summer holiday on a visit to Wolverhampton.

Currently, the Conservatives’ Holiday Activities and Food Programme proposes providing food and activities to children eligible for free school meals during just half the summer holiday, leaving children at risk of going hungry for half the summer break.

Labour is calling on the Government to set-up cash transfers for free school meals ensuring families get the full value of this support and enabling parents to buy the food and supplies that are right for their children.

Kate Green MP, Labour’s Shadow Education Secretary, said:

“The Conservatives have failed to support families throughout this pandemic and are now reliant on local councils to plug gaps in free school meals support throughout the holidays.

“Feeding children is not a half-time activity. Labour is calling on the Conservatives to trust parents with the money for free school meals so they can buy the food and supplies their children need throughout the whole of the holidays.”

Ends

Notes to editors:

• 302,400 children became eligible for free school meals between the first national COVID-19 lockdown from 23^rd March – 1^st October 2020.

https://explore-education-statistics.service.gov.uk/find-statistics/free-school-meals-autumn-term/2020-21-autumn-term

• Labour analysis of FOI responses estimate 115,654 children became eligible for free school meals from 1^st October – 1^st January 2021.

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• Combining this data estimates that from 23^rd March – 31^st December 2020 418,054 children became eligible for free school meals, equivalent to 10,348 per week. Applying this across the year from March 2020 – March 21 this would suggest 549,472 could have become eligible for free school meals by March 2021.

• Tory MPs reject bid to feed more than a million children during school holidays:https://www.mirror.co.uk/news/politics/breaking-tory-mps-reject-bid-22884654

• ‘Just half of the summer holiday’ - the Government’s Holiday Activities and Food Programme proposes local authorities provide support for four days a week across 4 weeks of the summer holiday – equivalent to just 16 of 30 week days.

https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/holiday-activities-and-food-programme/holiday-activities-and-food-programme-2021

• The government has said the Covid Local Grant funding can be used to provide free school meals support for children, including over the May half-term, but the guidance for the grant states that it: “is not intended to replicate or replace free school meals and authorities should avoid duplicating provision where possible.”https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/covid-winter-grant-scheme/covid-winter-grant-scheme-guidance-for-local-councils#establishing-eligibility