Free school meals joy for families in poverty

SUPPORT EXTENDED TO ALL HOUSEHOLDS CLAIMING UNIVERSAL CREDIT

- JANE HAYNES Politics & People Editor

THOUSANDS more children across the West Midlands are to get free school meals under plans designed to help address the child poverty emergency.

For the first time, all children in households claiming Universal Credit will be entitled, with older children also qualifying.

It means that from next year these children will get a free meal every school day from reception up to the end of Year 11 in a bid to ease the hunger crisis.

The move has been warmly welcomed by city MPs and the region's mayor, Richard Parker.

It goes some way to addressing the child poverty emergency highlighted by the Birmingham Mail alongside local activists and charities in a landmark project which lobbied for extended access to free meals.