Many of my constituents have got in touch recently on the issue of child poverty
I am proud of the record of the previous Government on child poverty more generally, which invested up to £40 million through its National School Breakfast Programme, to support up to 2,700 schools in disadvantaged areas to provide nutritious breakfasts. It expanded the eligibility to more groups of children than any Government in the past 50 years, meaning thousands of children from low-income families are now supported. It also doubled the number of children receiving free school meals between 2010 and 2024, having extended eligibility several times to more groups of children. As a result, around 2 million pupils are eligible for and claim a free school meal, saving families over £480 a year for each child.
I hope the current Government continues the hard work already started in this area and finds more ways we can ensure fairness within the welfare system whilst also ensuring a quality standard of life for families across the United Kingdom.
