Government refusing to feed hungry kids again

[noblegiraffe]

The new government food strategy out today should have included a plan to extend free school meals to all families on Universal Credit, as recommended by the review of the school system, and as requested by the teaching and head teaching unions among other educational professionals www.schoolfoodmatters.org/sites/default/files/2022-05/Education%20letter%202022.pdf

It didn't.

Child poverty is at 30%, free school meal provision 22.5%, so there are children going hungry and this situation will only get worse with the cost of living crisis.

www.tes.com/magazine/news/general/heads-deeply-disappointed-lack-free-school-meal-extension

Don't worry about MPs going hungry though, with their subsidised restaurants and generous food allowance.

www.opendemocracy.net/en/food-poverty-parliament-mps-taxpayers-cost-of-living-subsidies/?saved

"Taxpayers have forked out £17m to subsidise bars and restaurants in the House of Commons over just three years, openDemocracy can reveal.

MPs have enjoyed cut-price meals, with the average cost of food in the Members’ Dining Room reduced by more than £1 between 2018 and 2021.

In fact, politicians could have a full three-course meal at the restaurant for as little as £10.41 last year."

Anyone else think that money could be better spent elsewhere?

i don' think it should be limited to kids with parents on UC though....EVERYONE is now struggling

Not true that everyone is struggling @GirlCrushxxx , and of course funds are limited. Using UC as a marker is a relatively easy way to target those families with lower incomes.

It's not the Government's (in other words, taxpayers') job to feed people's children, though.

This is the tories, what do people expect?

We appear to be paying to feed the government. Are you happy with this?

Us still on tax credits don't get free school meals..

Subsidised food is actually a quite common perk of many jobs when people are away from home, mine included. I don’t think booze should be subsidised.

I also don’t think it’s the governments job to feed children I think it’s the parents. So providing food for kids from low income families I think is good. Past that the parents should be responsible.

Uc is payable at higher incomes too, it tops up income and crucially housing costs. It's meant to be enough to cover peoples living costs until they are back on their feet including feeding children, the problem is that whether it does seems to vary a lot, I know people (through work) on uc who live comfortably and others that are really struggling. I also know people not entitled uc who are really struggling.

I don't have an answer (well except stop subsidising the food at parliament!) but my experience is that the number one problem is debts that cause people to struggle, often taken on before they had money concerns. Sorting out inflation and especially fuel prices would help families a lot because then their uc would cover what it's meant to.

Providing FSM is a simple and effective way to ensure govt money goes directly to feeding the kids rather than extra benefits getting subsumed in other household finances.

Do people wish to see children starving?

That was quick! Maybe, just maybe though, it's the Government's job to help ensure people have enough money so they CAN feed their children?

Subsidised food is actually a quite common perk of many jobs when people are away from home, mine included.

MPs need to be told that there’s no magic money tree, that taxpayer money is limited and they can’t expect perks when they have slashed funding to other public services claiming lack of resources.

We are all in this together aren’t we?

I only pay £3.50 for my two course meal at work (school) so even better value than the MPs!

Definitely think the MP restaurants should be catered to a school budget and standards.

I read somewhere that Parliament meals are subsidised through the private renting out of parliamentary buildings for private use

You can rent one of there posh halls for weddings etc that then goes towards there food

It might also be cheaper to provide an on site canteen for them as they are away from home than paying for meals out

It's not that uncommon what they do, it's just a bit posher than most workers

Wow @Hbh17 how horrible you are.

Do you not think the Government should enforce that companies pay people a decent wage so they can actually afford to feed their kids? Or maybe the cost of living shouldn’t be so high that people can’t even put food in their kids mouths?? You sound disgusting tbh. You’re here defending the Government when there’s kids going hungry what a joke

I would treat feeding my children as the absolute number one priority over all else, even if it meant begging for food in the street and going without food myself.

There's no such thing as public money.

Parents are going without food to feed their children, and in increasing numbers due to the cost of living crisis.

In a country where there is money to feed MPs, however, there should be money to feed children who need it. This is preferable to people going hungry.

No they're not, don't be ridiculous.

What about over paying bus fares to get to work to earn money to feed them?
What about paying for electricity to keep vital medical equipment going all night for your severely disabled child?

And of course not all parents are as clear sighted as you. This is definitely not their children's fault.

Why do free school meals exist? Why are children given free school meals? They’re not just handed out willy nilly. Children are given free school meals because their parental income is so low that their parents may not be able to feed them.

Why are children less likely to need feeding during the school holidays.

that poster did not say that....why are you making it up?

They are correct....it is the parents job to ensure their own kids don't go hungry.

why are kids given free school meals?

maybe its to ensure the kids get at least one good meal a day....parents may well be in a position to feed them but prioritise that money elsewhere. its not always due to lack of income

as we all know

it is the parents job to ensure their own kids don't go hungry.

And if not, you’d rather the children went hungry? Just to be clear?

I don;t think anyone's saying that. But isn't UC plus child benefit to feed your child? And surely if your income was that low, you'd get free school meals.