RCPCH has long campaigned for free school meals to be provided to children whose families receive universal credit. The move will ensure that an extra half a million children will benefit from a free meal every school day.
RCPCH Officer for Health Improvement, Dr Helen Stewart, said:
The plans to provide all children in receipt of universal credit with free school meals are a significant milestone. Research has shown that free school meals not only improve families’ financial situations but also has a positive effect on children’s mental and physical health. We hope that Governments will now look towards providing free schools meals to all students, not just those on universal credit.
While this news is a welcome step towards the Government’s overall goal of creating the healthiest generation ever, further action is still needed to remove hunger and poverty from our classrooms. The Government must publish their long-awaited child poverty strategy, with clear measures to reduce health inequalities and plans to remove the two-child benefit cap once and for all.