Coronavirus: Children eligible for free school meals to get supermarket vouchers over Easter
Children in England who qualify for free school meals (FSM) will continue receiving supermarket vouchers throughout the Easter holidays, the government has announced, following pressure from campaigners.
Speaking at Sunday’s daily coronavirus briefing, Michael Gove, Minister for the Cabinet Office, said the government was “conscious more must be done” to help families on low-incomes while schools remain shut.
“For children eligible for free school meals, vouchers will be available through the holidays to support household income. We will be saying more next week about work in this area,” he said.
The voucher scheme was launched to help low-income families buy food for their children while schools remain closed. The initial plans did not detail any support throughout school holidays.
It is estimated that around 1.3 million children receive FSM, and up until the scheme went live on 31 March, schools had been responsible for making their own arrangements for these children.
The coupons are worth £15, can be redeemed at supermarkets across the country and available to any child who is eligible for free meals at school.
Headteachers welcomed the introduction of the scheme but warned that even with the vouchers, some parents may still struggle to feed their children, particularly during the Easter holidays.
“Let’s be under no illusions, this will be a tough situation,” said Geoff Barton, general secretary of the Association of School and College Leaders. “It will be challenging for parents and carers who already have the extra cost of children unexpectedly at home for an extended period.”
Over the weekend, city leaders wrote a letter to education secretary Gavin Williamson calling for the scheme to be extended through the Easter period.
The mayor of Bristol, Marvin Rees, and the leaders of Birmingham and Leeds city councils, Ian Ward and Judith Blake, asked Mr Williamson to reconsider the policy to help the poorest young people across the country.
They wrote: “Many families are now finding themselves, perhaps for the first time, unable to feed their families and cover essential costs. We are asking the Department for Education to guarantee and underwrite the full costs of providing FSM during the Easter holidays to all eligible children.”
Chef Jamie Oliver, a campaigner for better school meals, also urged the government to provide all children eligible for FSM with the £15 weekly vouchers during the holidays.
Jamie Oliver, a long-standing campaigner for better school food, had called last week for all children entitled to free school dinners to be given £15 weekly shopping vouchers in the holidays that they can use to buy food in supermarkets. He won backing from headteachers.
Campaigners welcomed the government U-turn, saying the decision would prevent children from going hungry as the Covid-19 pandemic continues.
“We know that for many children, lunch at school is their only hot meal of the day and, in some cases, their only meal full stop,” said Paul Whiteman, general secretary of the leaders’ union NAHT.
“The government is doing the right thing in stepping forward and making sure all children can continue to access the food they need.”
Geoff Barton, general secretary of the Association of School and College Leaders, said: “Many struggling families will be finding it even harder than normal to make ends meet in the current emergency and with children at home for a long period.
“The extension of the voucher scheme will make a real difference in helping to alleviate the risk of children going hungry.”
He added: “We are particularly concerned about the impact of a prolonged shutdown of schools on these young people and their families, and are keen to work with the government on examining the full implications and what more support can be provided to them.”
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