Over 400,000 more pupils eligible for free school meals amid pandemic, says Labour

Data analysed by the Labour Party show that between March and October last year more than 11,000 children became eligible for free school meals each week.

The data, coupled with the party’s additional research, suggests the total number of children who became eligible for free school meals between March and December 2020 grew by 418,000. 

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The figures have been published amid calls from Labour’s Shadow Education Secretary Kate Green to extend free school meals during the upcoming school holidays, including next week’s half-term break.

The current out of term time entitlement, through the government’s Holiday Activities and Food programme, only covers part of the summer school break, adds Labour.

“Feeding children is not a half-time activity,” said Green.

“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.”

Kevin Courtney, joint general secretary of the National Education Union said Labour’s figures confirm “reports by our members that learning impeded hunger is facing many children in our country”.

Last year, Conservative MPs had voted against providing food for children eligible for free school meals out of term time, despite a high-profile campaign led by footballer Marcus Rashford and anti-poverty charities.

But in a policy U-turn, Prime Minister Boris Johnson announced a funding package for councils to offer meals over the school holidays into 2021.

Courtney added: “Last year, the public outcry around free school meal provision, and the government’s heartless refusal to ensure every child had enough to eat, forced the Prime Minister into a making a series of U-turns on his policy.

“However, this year we shouldn't have to wait for the footballer, Marcus Rashford to make the government see sense if it means running the risk that hundreds of thousands of children and young people could go hungry over the half term and summer holidays.

“Over 400,000 children growing up in families with such low incomes they are reliant on free school meals does not sound like a country ‘levelling up’. We urge government to act immediately to ensure that no child misses a meal during the school holidays.”

A government spokeswoman said that Healthy Start food vouchers for families had been increased in by more than a third and that ministers had “made sure that schools could provide free school meals to eligible pupils over the past year, including while they were learning remotely”.

She added: “Our expanded Holiday Activities and Food programme, which provides healthy food and enriching activities to disadvantaged children, will continue to run this summer and Christmas in every local authority in England.”