As a consultancy that has worked in the Education sector for many years, we’re proud to stand with LACA and support them in their Mission: ‘If not now, when?’
The Mission is centered around the goal that all school-aged children and young people, should, every school day, have access to freshly prepared, great tasting, hot meals.
Compared to their peers in Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland, children and young people in England are significantly under-supported, with the eligibility threshold in England for benefit-based Free School Meals 89% lower than that of Northern Ireland.
Funding is also markedly lower in England – 20% lower compared to Wales, and 37% less than Scotland.
LACA’S Mission calls upon the Government to increase funding for Universal Infant School Meals and benefit-based Free School Meals, extend eligibility to all families who are in receipt of Universal Credit and reform the school food system to support schools and caterers deliver the very best possible school meals to all children and young people.
Joe Parfitt, Education Consultancy Director at Litmus, says: “Children having access to a nutritious meal in school shouldn’t be a discussion in this country; it should already be happening. Currently, only households with income below £7,400 are eligible for free school meals, which only helps the extremely poor and completely ignores the millions of others that are also living in poverty. It also doesn’t take into account the number of children in a family.
“Unfortunately, the recent increase in the funding allowance to £2.41 per meal is not enough for schools to provide a balanced and nutritious offer, with CPI inflation running at 10% and foodservice inflation at double this rate, many ingredients served in schools rising even higher.
“Investing in feeding our children is a priority, immediately and for the future wellbeing of this generation.”
You can view the Mission here, along with the organisations supporting it, including ourselves.
The Litmus team