Bishops welcome expansion of free school meals

Bishop Richard Moth

Source: CBCEW

The Bishops of England and Wales and the Catholic Education Service have welcomed the announcement by the government today of the expansion of Free School Meals to all households on Universal Credit.

Bishop Richard Moth, Chair of the Department for Social Justice of the Catholic Bishops' Conference said: "Inspired by our Catholic teaching, Catholic charities, dioceses and parishes are at the forefront of supporting families to flourish. Families are at the heart of our society and in the words of Pope Francis 'are an investment to guarantee the future of our societies'.

"The Catholic community is keen to support the Government in its mission to tackle child poverty. We welcome the announcement to increase support to families on the lowest incomes and look forward to the publishing of the Government's Child Poverty Strategy later in the year."

The bishops have been campaigning for the removal of the two-child cap on Universal Credit since its introduced in 2017. The policy has been undermining the financial security of families with three or more children.

Such families often have no choice but to make claims for Universal Credit as a result of common, but unpredictable, life events, such as job loss or the onset of disability. The majority of families affected by the two-child policy are working families.

Paul Barber, Director of the Catholic Education Service, said: "Our schools serve some of the most deprived communities in the country, with school staff going above and beyond to alleviate child poverty. The Catholic Education Service has long drawn attention to the challenges that many families face in accessing Free School Meals, and the government is to be commended for recognising the urgency of the need for greater support and for taking this action as part of its mission to end poverty."

In a recent survey of 2,074 Catholic schools in England and Wales over 80% of respondents noted that pupils in poverty were unable to access FSM due to factors such as immigration status, temporary or low-paid casual work, and socio-cultural barriers.

In many cases, our families on temporary visas or with no recourse to public funds are excluded from support, leaving children without critical assistance. Research from a 2017 study conducted by St. Mary's University demonstrates that eligibility for Free School Meals is a poor indicator of need.

Over 90% of Catholic schools reported encountering families struggling with the cost of living, and 70% noted worsening conditions over the past year.