Why are we letting children in this country go hungry? - Yorkshire Post Letters

In the Autumn Statement (17 November), the Chancellor ignored the call to help the 800,000 children who live in poverty but are not eligible for Free School Meals.

The earnings threshold of £7,400 combined household income (pre benefits, post tax) has remained unchanged since its introduction in 2018.

This is despite soaring living costs. Now more than ever children need access to the nutritional safety net free school meals provide.

The End Child Poverty Coalition (Loughborough University) found that for 2020/21, before the current cost of living crisis, 2,215 (26.03 per cent) children in Ryedale and 2,948 (20.64 per cent) children in Hambleton were living in poverty.

These figures are likely to be much higher in 2022. Many of these children do not meet the Free School Meals eligibility criteria.

The government has chosen to ignore the recommendation made in this year’s National Food Strategy to prioritise the widening of the eligibility for Free School Meals.

The survey from The Sutton Trust, ‘The cost of living crisis and its impact on education’

found “Schools are seeing growing numbers of hungry, cold and tired pupils …'' 38 per cent of teachers reported an increase in children coming into school hungry.

The estimated cost of extending free school meals to more children is between £555-790m a year (the upper figure would include all those children who live in a household that receives universal credit).

These children would not only receive free school meals but benefit from additional in school funding (pupil premium) to support them in the classroom and access activities and meals in the school holidays.

England trails behind Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland in their commitment to extend free school meals to ensure children do not go hungry. Can we expect any action from Kevin Hollinrake MP to help these children?