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Footballer Marcus Rashford has welcomed the government’s change of mind on free school meals.
Prime Minister Boris Johnson phoned the Manchester United star on Saturday afternoon to tell him that £ 170 million was being set aside to help feed underprivileged children over the Christmas holidays.
Rashford He said he was “very proud” of those who had come together behind his campaign and that he was “overwhelmed by the outpouring of empathy and understanding.”
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In a statement, he said: “There is still much more to do, and my immediate concern is the approximately 1.7 million children who miss out on free school meals, vacation provision, and Healthy Start vouchers because their family income is not they are so low. ” Enough, but the intention that the government has shown today is nothing but positive and they should be recognized for that.
“The steps taken today will improve the lives of nearly 1.7 million children in the UK over the next 12 months, and that can only be celebrated.”
In October, Parliament voted against expanding the scheme, which provides free meals to around 1.3 million children in England.
Several companies and councils stepped up and pledged to fund it instead, and more than a million people signed a petition created by Rashford calling for various measures to end child food poverty.
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The £ 170 million will pay the COVID Winter Grants Program to support families during the festive season, while the Holiday Food and Activities program will be extended to cover the Easter, summer and Christmas holidays in 2021, said the Department of Work and Pensions.
The Healthy Start payments, which help pregnant women and low-income people with young children buy fresh fruits and vegetables, will increase from £ 3.10 to £ 4.25 per week from April next year.
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Secretary for Work and Pensions Therese Coffey said: “We want to make sure vulnerable people feel cared for during this difficult time and above all, no one should go hungry or be unable to pay their bills this winter.”
The local authorities in England will receive the funds in early December and will be managed by them, rather than the schools.
Labor Party shadow education secretary Kate Green accused the government of “incompetence and intransigence” by waiting until after the fall semester to make the announcement, saying ministers “created unnecessary and avoidable hardship for families. of all country”.
