East Riding Families Urged Not to Miss Out on Free School Meals as Councillors Warn of Awareness Gap
Hundreds of schoolchildren across the East Riding who are newly entitled to free school meals from September could miss out simply because their families do not realise they qualify.
The expansion in eligibility lifts the previous £7,400 income threshold to include all households receiving Universal Credit, even if you didn’t qualify before. The Government estimates this change will extend free school meals to over half a million additional pupils nationwide, potentially saving families up to £495 per child every year and lifting around 12,500 children out of poverty in East Riding.
Howeve, the Child Poverty Action Group (CPAG) suggests that 55% of eligible Universal Credit parents were unaware their children would now qualify. Relying on overloaded local authorities such as East Riding of Yorkshire and schools to spread the word is not enough and more needs to be done to ensure no child misses out.
"With so many local families across the East Riding continuing to feel the pinch, saving nearly £500 a year per child on school lunches could make a world of difference. It is alarming that over half of eligible parents don't even know this help is coming. Government ministers must step up and use the data they already hold to inform families directly, ensuring no child in our region goes without a hot, nutritious meal at school." Cllr Margot Sutton- Lib Dem Spokesperson
Cllr Margot Sutton
While the widened eligibility offers much-needed relief to struggling households, central government must bridge the communication gap immediately so that no eligible pupil in East Riding misses out this term.
Find out more about the changes here:
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