Emma Reynolds, Labour MP for Wolverhampton North East is opposing the government denying free school meals to pupils. Emma said, “Earlier this week I voted against plans to deny up to 1 million children a free school meal. Every child deserves a healthy lunch at school. The government should therefore allow all future universal credit claimants to qualify for free school meals to ensure that their children do not go hungry.

“All children in England who are aged between 4 and 6 are entitled to free school meals and I am pleased that this will remain government policy. But for children over 6 years old it is a different story.

“While the government has been rolling out its new benefit Universal Credit, it has said that all initial claimants will be entitled to free school meals for children over 6 years old, regardless of income or hours worked but it is not making this arrangement permanent. Instead future applicants will only qualify if they earn less than £7,400 a year.

“This is unacceptable. Labour secured a vote in Parliament this week to allow all children of universal credit payments to qualify for free school meals. Unfortunately we lost the vote, but I will continue to campaign for the government to revise these unfair rules.”

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March 2018