Disadvantaged children will be given free school meals over the Christmas holidays, in a major Government U-turned that has delighted campaigning England footballer Marcus Rashford.
The Prime Minister finally caved to pressure on the issue after facing a barrage of criticism for blocking an extension of the scheme over October half term.
Boris Johnson personally phoned Manchester United star Mr Rashford after he played against Everton on Saturday to alert him to the decision to lay on £170 million of extra funding for the plan, which has delighted child poverty campaigners.
The money will pay for the Covid Winter Grant Scheme to support families over the festive season, while the Holiday Activities and Food programme will be extended to cover next year’s Easter, summer and Christmas breaks, the Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) said. Expectant mums, and those on low incomes with young children, will see their benefits payments to buy fresh fruit and vegetables grow from £3.10 to £4.25 a week from April, after the Healthy Start payments were boosted.
Mr Rashford said he was ‘so proud’ of those who had backed his campaign, declaring himself ‘overwhelmed by the outpouring of empathy and understanding’.
Promising to ‘fight for the rest of my life’ to end child hunger in the UK, he said: ‘Following the game today, I had a good conversation with the Prime Minister to better understand the proposed plan, and I very much welcome the steps that have been taken to combat child food poverty in the UK.
‘There is still so much more to do, and my immediate concern is the approximate 1.7 million children who miss out on free school meals, holiday provision and Healthy Start vouchers because their family income isn’t quite low enough, but the intent the Government have shown today is nothing but positive and they should be recognised for that.
‘The steps made today will improve the lives of near 1.7 million children in the UK over the next 12 months, and that can only be celebrated.’
The U-turn comes after the Government was slammed last month for whipping Conservative MPs to vote against a Labour plan to extend free school meals following Mr Rashford’s campaign.
But despite Mr Johnson’s Government rejecting the plans, local councils, businesses and other organisations nationwide stepped in to offer children in need food during the October half-term.
The striker’s petition for pupils in disadvantaged families to have their meals paid for during the holidays went on to attract more than one million signatures – piling pressure on Downing Street to commit to more support.
And last night Work and Pensions Secretary Therese Coffey said: ‘We want to make sure vulnerable people feel cared for throughout this difficult time and, above all, no one should go hungry or be unable to pay their bills this winter.’
Labour’s shadow education secretary Kate Green accused the Government of ‘incompetence and intransigence’ in waiting until after the autumn half-term to make the announcement, and claimed ministers had ‘created needless and avoidable hardship for families across the country’.
England’s children’s commissioner Anne Longfield welcomed the announcement but called on ministers to ‘go further’ with its Universal Credit support – a move backed by the Child Poverty Action Group.
She added: ‘Hunger does not take a holiday when schools close and a long term solution to the growing number of children in poverty is urgently required.’
Ms Longfield also called for the Government to ‘go further and commit to retaining the £20 increase in Universal Credit which is helping many struggling families during this pandemic’.
Geoff Barton, general secretary of the Association of School and College Leaders, was among those heralding the fresh investment but said his organisation was ‘at a loss’ as to why it could not have been ready in time for the October half-term holiday, which has recently finished.
Javed Khan, chief executive of children’s charity Barnardo’s, added: ‘This new scheme is a lifeline for vulnerable families who are struggling to feed their families and heat their homes this winter.
‘It will also help prevent “holiday hunger” throughout 2021.’
The DWP has said the £170 million worth of winter grants will be administered by councils in England rather than schools and that the funding will be ring-fenced, with at least 80% earmarked to support with food and bills. It will run until the end of March.
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