Labour calls on government to extend free school meal scheme into half-term

'Ministers must do the right thing today to make sure that no child goes hungry,' Angela Rayner says

Labour has urged the government to extend free school meals into half-term (Getty Images/iStockphoto)

Labour has called on the government to extend free school meals during half-term, warning "time is running out" to prevent children going hungry.

Angela Rayner, the party's deputy leader, urged ministers to “do the right thing” and continue free school meal support available during term-time in the February break. 

The government has said a general pandemic support fund, set up last year to help low-income families over winter, will provide support to children on free school meals during half-term instead.

But Labour pointed out government guidance on the Covid Winter Support Grant Scheme says it “is not intended to replicate or replace free school meals”.

“Time is running out and ministers must do the right thing today to make sure that no child goes hungry on Monday when the half term holidays start,” Ms Rayner said.  

“It is rank hypocrisy for the prime minister to condemn the disgraceful food parcels that hungry children have been given a few weeks ago only to now leave those very same children without free school meals during the school holidays.”

She added: “The government’s own guidance is clear – relying on the Covid Winter Support Grant will not guarantee that every child who is eligible for free school meals will be fed during half term.

“On the government’s own terms ministers are leaving our children at risk of going hungry on Monday."

Schools have been told to keep up support for children on free school meals while they are at home during England's lockdown, which can be through lunch parcels, vouchers and using the government’s national voucher scheme.

Last month, the government told schools they “do not need to provide lunch parcels or vouchers” over half-term. This phrase was no longer included in guidance, when updated in early February.

“Support should be provided each week for benefits-related free school meal pupils at home during the national lockdown and school opening restrictions, from the week beginning 4 January to the week beginning 8 February. It will restart again for the week beginning 22 February", the current guidance says.

"Support during the half-term holiday will be available through the Covid Winter Grant Scheme.”

The £170m fund was set up in early December and aims to support those most in need across England with costs of food, energy, water bills and other essentials.

The fund goes to county councils and unitary authorities, who then distribute it to vulnerable families with children and other vulnerable households, particularly affected by the pandemic.

When the government said this would replace term-time free school meals schemes during half-term, one leading union said ministers should "hang their heads in shame".

"Suggesting that local councils will be able to recreate a brand new system of supplying Free School Meals for the week of half term using the Covid Winter Grant Scheme is an unnecessary logistical nightmare, and the confusion and chaos this could cause will put millions of children at risk," Kevin Courtney, the union's joint general secretary, said.

"The anguish, not to mention hunger, this decision could cause is immeasurable."

Paul Whiteman, general secretary of school leaders’ union NAHT, said: "The government’s constantly changing, badly thought out and last-minute schemes to help with holiday hunger during the Covid crisis is leaving families and children anxious that they literally don’t know where their next meal is coming from."

He added: The government must urgently clarify for families how they will be helped during the upcoming half term holiday so they can be assured that they will not go hungry."

Will Quince, a minister at the Department for Work and Pensions (DWP), said the department has contacted all local authorities receiving money from the Covid Winter Grant Scheme.

"All of them will, with the scheme’s support, ensure children are warm and well fed over the February half-term, as they did over Christmas," he tweeted on Wednesday.

Vicky Ford, the minister for children and families said: “With the support of our £170m Covid Winter Grant Scheme, every council in England will be keeping vulnerable children warm and well-fed during the February half term.

“Children on free school meals will be supported this half term with food, vouchers or cash backed by government funding and delivered through local authorities whilst schools are shut."

She added: "It’s wrong to suggest support will not be there – it has been widely welcomed by councils and charities.”