Call for permanent extension of free school meals for disadvantaged migrant children
Derren Hayes
Friday, August 14, 2020
Leaders of children’s charities, unions and rights groups have written to Education Secretary Gavin Williamson calling on him to permanently extend free school meals to pupils from low-income migrant families with no recourse to public funds.
The letter, signed by 60 organisations, comes as latest research shows the number of children living in families classified as having no recourse to public funds (NRPF) rose by 23 per cent in the last three years from 142,000 in 2016 to 175,000 in 2019.
Signatories include Unison, Action for Children, Barnardo’s chief executive Javed Khan, Children England chief Kathy Evans and The Children’s Society.
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NRPF is a status imposed on migrant families who have not yet qualified for permanent residency in the UK. It prevents them from accessing essential welfare support, including universal credit, tax credits, and free school meals.
The letter states that NRPF disproportionately affects black and minority ethnic children and removes the safety net of welfare support from families that are likely to already be struggling financially, with additional costs such as fees for leave to remain applications. This “traps them in poverty and curtails their futures”, the letter states.
In April, the government temporarily extended free school meals to children in some NRPF families in response to the Covid-19 outbreak – a decision which the letter’s signatories have praised as a positive step.
However, there is uncertainty over how long this support will continue, and the group is concerned that when this help is withdrawn, thousands of children will lose out.
“We know that for many children their free school meal is the only healthy meal in their day – but the progress the government has made by extending this vital lifeline to NRPF families will be lost unless you make this change permanent,” states the letter.
Sam Royston, director of policy and research for The Children’s Society, said: “It is unacceptable that thousands of children, whose lives have already been turned upside down by the pandemic, could lose out on free school meals. Adjusting to being back at school will already be a tremendous challenge for most, but whether a child is able to eat should not depend on their parents’ immigration status. The latest figures show that the number of children affected by the NRPF condition is increasing, meaning many more are now at risk.
“The government must permanently extend free school meals to all low-income migrant families who have no recourse to public funds, to help ensure that every child can return to school with the hope of a bright future.”
Last month, the government commissioned National Food Strategy published recommendations for free school meals to be extended to 1.5 million more disadvantaged children.
In June, the government extended free school meals during the summer holidays after a high profile campaign led by Premier League footballer Marcus Rashford forced a policy u-turn.
Meanwhile, the government faces a legal challenge over the eligibility criteria for free school meals. Solicitors Matthew Gold & Co Ltd have been instructed to launch the challenge on the basis that the criteria is discriminatory and a breach of children’s human rights.