Sentamu supports call to save free school meals

An analysis released yesterday by the Children’s Society found more than 1.2 million youngsters living in poverty are already currently missing out on the dinners which are linked to low-income benefits.

And the report warned the Government’s new streamlined system of universal credit to replace the current array of benefits and tax credits, could leave hundreds of thousands of families with lower entitlements in a move which could create a “cliff edge”.

If an earnings threshold of £7,500 was introduced for entitlement to free school meals, 120,000 families in England – with around 350,000 school age children – would lose out, it said.

According to the charity’s Fair and Square report, 2.2 million English schoolchildren are currently living below the poverty line.

More than half of these youngsters are not receiving free school meals while 700,000 are not entitled to the dinners, it revealed.

Following its publication, Dr John Sentamu backed its findings and said all children living in poverty in Britain should be entitled to a free school meal.

“I welcome The Children’s Society’s Fair and Square report into the provision of good quality free school meals,” the archbishop said.

“Nutritional meals are vital for all low income families to ensure that children living in poverty get a healthy lunch at school, without burdening an overstretched family budget.”

The Children’s Society is calling for all children living in poverty in England to be entitled to a free meal by October.