Union urges ministers to scrap cuts to free school meals

Trade union GMB has called on government ministers to re-think plans to cut free school meals in England after the move was postponed by the House of Lords.

MPs had approved a bill reducing the threshold for free school meals for the children of families on universal credit to £7,400 per year, a move that the union has said would impact almost a million youngsters.

Warren Kenny, GMB regional secretary, said: "On 13 March 2018 the Tory government along with the DUP [Democratic Unionist Party] voted to cut free school meals in England. This means that almost one million children in England will be denied a free school meal.

"This will impact the most marginalised and poorest of children many for whom this is their only hot and nutritious meal of the day."

The House of Lords postponed the shake-up for at least six months to allow for a "poverty impact" statement, after a motion tabled by Labour's Steve Bassam was passed by seven votes.

In England 14% of children currently claim free school meals.

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