All primary school pupils in England must get access to free school meals to stop an epidemic of child hunger, the Daily Mirror demands today.
Our joint campaign with the National Education Union is urging new Prime Minister Liz Truss to offer a lifeline to hard-up families by making sure no youngster is left starving.
Kevin Courtney, joint general secretary of NEU, said: “Children cannot learn if they are not eating properly. It’s time Government takes responsibility for a decade of austerity.”
Current rules at state schools in England mean children are entitled to free lunches up to the end of Year 2. After that, they are eligible only if their parent or carer receives certain benefits.
Households on Universal Credit qualify only if their work income is less than just £7,400.
Our Free School Meals for All campaign calls for provision to be widened to all primary kids as food and fuel bills push families to the brink.
Scotland pledged to extend free school meals for every child in primary education in 2020 and Wales will do the same. It is time for England to catch up.
Former footballer and TV presenter Gary Lineker, Greater Manchester Mayor Andy Burnham and London Mayor Sadiq Khan are leading more than 100 politicians, groups and faith leaders who have already signed an open letter to Ms Truss urging her to act.
We want you to add your names to our petition here.
Around 1.9 million pupils in England are eligible for free school meals, according to government figures, equating to 22.5% of pupils, up from 20.8% in 2021 after the pandemic pushed more families into hardship.
But the Child Poverty Action Group claims around 800,000 children living in poverty already do not qualify – with campaigners fearful the cost-of-living crisis will make matters only worse.
A report by the Food Foundation in April revealed 2.6million kids live in households that missed meals or struggled to access healthy food.
Boris Johnson resisted calls to widen free lunch provision but footballer Marcus Rashford shamed the Government into feeding hungry children in the holidays during the pandemic.
The former PM also ignored his own food tsar Henry Dimbleby, who called for the qualifying threshold for household incomes to be raised from £7,400 to £20,000 last year, which would extend free-lunch provision to another 1.1million kids.
Mr Burnham warned: “If children are going without a healthy meal at school, the risks to their education, their future, and their fundamental wellbeing are clear.” Mr Khan said: “This campaign can save families hundreds of pounds a year.”
Labour MP Kim Johnson said: “We’re on the cliff edge of the worst drop in living standards in a century.
“The PM must roll out an urgent support package that prevents children starving.”
A Government spokesperson said: “We have expanded access to free school meals more than any other government in recent decades, which currently reach over 1.9 million children.
"We are also investing up to £24 million in the National School Breakfast Programme.
“We are working across government to address cost pressures for families, including through the Energy Price Guarantee, which will save a typical household an average of £1,000 a year on their energy bills.
"It adds to the £37 billion package announced in May to help households with the greatest need and the Household Support Fund, which helps vulnerable families with essentials, such as food and utility bills.”
