Half a million children now eligible for free school meals

The Labour Party has estimated that more than half a million children have become eligible for free school meals during the pandemic.

Government data shows that from March to October 2020 over 11,000 children became eligible for free school meals each week. Combined with Labour Freedom of Information data this suggests over 418,000 children became eligible for free school meals from March to December 2020.

The new analysis has prompted Labour to call on the government to extend free school meals over the May half-term and summer holidays. The government faced mass opposition, from both inside and out of Parliament, over its handling of feeding school children during the October half-term, as well as for the contents of the food parcels provided.

Kate Green, Labour’s Shadow Education Secretary, is now set to 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.

She 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.”