CYP Now - Commissioner and MPs call for extension of free school meals over summer holidays

The government is facing growing pressure to extend funding for free school meals to all eligible children in England over the summer holidays in response to rising food poverty caused by the Covid-19 pandemic.

Anne Longfield called the government's decision not to extend free school meals as 'exceptionally short-sighted'. Image: Office of the Children's Commissioner for England

Children’s commissioner for England Anne Longfield has written to Chancellor of the Exchequer Rishi Sunak urging him to reconsider the government’s decision not to extend the free school meal scheme for 1.3m children who receive them throughout the six-week summer break.

Last week, the government announced the scheme would cease when schools break up on 24 July, and that a £9m package of summer activities and lunches would be provided for 50,000 of the most deprived children.

However, in her letter, Longfield said the decision not to find “a few million pounds to keep children fed" reflects "very poorly” on the importance the government places on children when it has already provided £132bn of extra spending in response to the coronavirus crisis.

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