Baroness Lister of Burtersett (Labour) urged the Government to take action on child hunger by extending free school meals provision. She said: “Hunger adversely affects children’s ability to learn, their health and wellbeing. Given all the evidence, why do the Government reject the growing calls for free school meals to the 800,000 children in families on universal credit who do not qualify – or, at the very least, inflation-proof the net earnings eligibility limit to £7,400 set in 2018.”
Usdaw’s evidence is clear that those in receipt of in-work benefits, typically the lowest income households, are severely struggling through the crisis. In the union’s recent survey of members, mainly low-paid key workers in receipt of in-work benefits, 45% of no longer use the heating and over four-in-ten have cut down on other essentials such as food.
Voices from the frontline of the cost of living crisis:
- “I use a food bank as now can’t afford one meal a day for my children and me with everything else”. Retail Worker aged 52, Greater London
- “I go without meals sometimes so my child has food”. Retail Worker, aged 54, Scotland
- “I wake up every night worrying if I have enough to cover the bills or food shop”. Retail Worker, aged 31, South East England
- “Have sold sentimental items to buy food. Committed to working hard but I’m only surviving, no luxuries, feel like a failure to my kids”. Funeral Worker, aged 47, North East
- “I wish I could afford to buy decent food including fresh fruit on a large scale”. Retail Worker, aged 41, Midlands
- “I can’t afford food or clothes for my daughter. We sit with blankets around us in the house or just go to bed early”. Retail Worker, aged 54, Northern Ireland
Paddy Lillis – Usdaw General Secretary says: “We welcome Peers adding their voices to the calls for an extension to free school meals and are disappointed that the Government’s response is to keep the policy ‘under review’. It is clear that in-work benefit claimants need significant additional support to be able to make ends meet.
“Our survey found that over three-quarters of them rely on unsecured borrowing to pay everyday bills, with the majority struggling with repayments. Many respondents to our survey detailed difficulties in affording healthy, nutritious food for their children. While some children are entitled to free school meals, this does not apply to all in low income families.
“In the longer term free school meals should be provided to all children, to support child wellbeing and improve learning outcomes. As an immediate emergency step, Usdaw is calling for free school meals to be extended to all families on Universal Credit and other income related benefits, which would significantly support child nutrition and relieve the stress and misplaced guilt experienced by their parents.”
Notes for editors:
Usdaw (Union of Shop, Distributive and Allied Workers) is the UK's fifth biggest trade union with around 360,000 members. Most Usdaw members work in the retail sector, but the union also has many members in transport, distribution, food manufacturing, chemical industry and other trades.
For Usdaw press releases visit: http://www.usdaw.org.uk/news and you can follow us on Twitter
@UsdawUnion