And with the summer holidays approaching, he worries. Her five-year-old son qualifies for free school meals during the quarter, like nearly 2 million other children in England. Despite the cost-of-living crisis, the government has so far resisted calls for an extension of the program this summer, as it did during the first year of the Covid pandemic. But for Agnwet, times are tough – and they get harder and harder. The single parent says she will “fight” without any extra help to make sure her children are fed during the six-week break. “It’s definitely something I’m thinking about: how do I go about it?” she says. Faith Agnwet says she will “fight” without extra help in the summer (Is provided) Although he usually bought wholesale to cut costs during school breaks, he could not afford to do so this year as supermarket prices soared. “It got to the point where sometimes, when I clean out the closet, I find things I bought in bulk, and that’s what really keeps me going,” the Southwark single parent tells the Independent. In west London, Aurora * is also worried about what she will bring this summer. The widowed parent says her children – aged seven and 13 – receive free school meals for “as long as I can remember”. And he says it would help if that support continued throughout the summer, given that the cost of living has risen so much. “I have calculated everything. “I would not be able to afford to pay for school meals,” the 40-year-old, who has just started a new job as a caretaker with a zero-hour contract, told the Independent. “Universal credit is simply not enough. My rent is very high. “Because I live in London, we would have a really hard time.” Currently, children have access to free food during the school holidays through government-funded activity clubs, which typically run for four weeks during the summer. But Aurora says this is not a viable solution for her children because of the cost of the trip. About 495,000 children – less than a third of those who receive free school meals during the quarter and are therefore eligible to participate – used these clubs during last summer’s holiday, according to official statistics. “I was offered a summer club last year. “But the fact is that I had to pay 20 20 a week to go,” says Aurora, who lives in Ealing. “Although it was in my municipality, it was not within walking distance. “My youngest school is already almost two miles away.” In the first year of the Covid pandemic, coupons were given to families for free school meals during the summer, following a high-profile campaign led by footballer Marcus Rashford. Tayyaba Siddiqui, whose primary school son receives free school meals, says the same level of support is “definitely needed” this year. He is now left without the universal credit increase of 20 20 a week, which was abolished last autumn. “Coupons are useful. “Because then you can choose what you want to buy,” said the NHS worker, who lives in north London. “My son and I eat so many things that are halal,” he says, adding that it is difficult to find a food bank in his area that offers things that are suitable for eating. he does not want to have to throw away donations. The 46-year-old single parent says times are definitely tough right now. Tayyaba Siddiqui, a 46-year-old NHS worker, says free school meals are a “must have” this summer (Is provided) “I count money,” he says. “As an adult you can survive on less food. Although it will affect your work if you are tired if you do not have enough food. “But what about a child? It’s not his fault. “I do not want my child to know that we are going to poverty.” Official government figures released this week show that the number of children eligible for free school meals has now risen to 1.9 million. This represents 23 percent of the student population – up from 20.8 percent last year. Former education secretaries and trade unions have called for the eligibility criteria for free school meals to be extended this year to all children whose families receive universal credit. Those who receive the allowance but earn περισσότερα more than 4 7,400 a year are not currently eligible for free school meals. A government spokesman said he understood that millions were struggling during the cost-of-life crisis and was providing an additional 15 15 billion in support of recognition. “We have also expanded access to free school meals more than any other government in recent decades, currently reaching over 1.9 million eligible children,” they said. “The Holiday Activities and Food program runs during long school holidays and wider provision is available through the Family Support Fund, which helps vulnerable families in need with basic necessities such as food and utility bills.”
- Aurora did not want to use her real name
