Nearly a quarter of a million children are missing out on free school meals worth nearly £500 per child because of the lack of an automated sign-up system, according to the LGA. This is money that under-pressure families could be spending on other essentials, amid record food prices and spiralling inflation. Medway Labour are therefore supporting calls to auto-enrol eligible pupils for free school meals.

Cllr Clive Johnson, Medway Labour and Cooperative Shadow Cabinet Member for Children’s Services, said, “The number of Medway families entitled to free school meals has increased enormously since the pandemic, indicating the much larger number of families who are struggling with financial pressures and the cost-of-living crisis.  We need to ensure that children receive as much support as we can give them.  They will not thrive if they are hungry and free school meals ensure a good, hot meal at least once a day.  Medway Labour supports the Local Government Association’s call for extending the entitlement to free school meals and for automatic enrolment of children who are entitled.  We do not want to see children going without this vital support in Medway.”

Cllr Pete Marland, Chairman of the LGA’s Resources Board, said: “Food inflation is at its highest for almost half a century and this is hitting the poorest households hardest.

“The near-£500 annual saving for a family for each child on free school meals can make all the difference, now more so than ever before.

“Encouraging those who are eligible to sign up, and automating the process, will help relieve this financial burden, freeing up family budgets and improving the next generation’s health, education and prospects.”