Millions of children
across England are at risk of going hungry over the summer holidays, official
figures suggest.
The worst affected
will be the over 1.1 million children who are eligible for and claiming a free
school meal, who will miss out over the holidays.
Millions more could be
at risk, as government figures show that 30 per cent of children (nearly 4
million) across England are living in poverty, whose families may not be able
to afford food.
New analysis from the
Trussell Trust shows that there is an increase in the number of food packages
being given to families with children over the summer, showing the extent of
holiday hunger across the country.
Moreover, an answer to
a Written Question tabled by Angela Rayner MP shows that the Department for
Education “has made no assessment of the number of children who are at risk of
experiencing hunger during school summer holidays in 2017.”
Angela Rayner MP,
Labour’s Shadow Secretary of State for Education, said:
“It is a national
disgrace that millions of children across the country are at risk of going
hungry this summer.
“The Government has
admitted it has no plans to assist children who are facing hunger during the
school holidays.
“The Conservatives are
failing in their duty of care to children in poverty, whose numbers are
increasing to Dickensian levels under Tory austerity.
“With the IFS forecasting that child poverty will
rise to 5 million by 2022, Labour is demanding that the Government brings
forward a new strategy to tackle child poverty.
Follow this news feed: Labour