Mothers will shoulder the burden if the government withdraws free school meals from thousands of impoverished children struggling to subsist due to their parents’ immigration status, campaigners warned.
Praxis, a leading charity which supports migrants and refugees living in London, raised grave concerns the government is currently reviewing the policy first implemented to help migrant families struggling in the wake of the Covid crisis.
While the move ensured thousands of children from migrant families were assured at least one hot, home-cooked meal each day, the provision has been under review by the government for more than a year, with ministers providing no information about whether the measure will be extended.
Favour*, a migrant woman whose children are currently unable to access free school meals, said: “It’s very difficult to feed four children all by myself.
“I always give them healthy things to eat, but now, everything is more expensive. You go to the market and what you used to pay 50p for is now 80p, 90p. It’s getting very difficult. Some children go to school without breakfast because their parents can’t afford it, how can they concentrate?
“They see their mates eating, can you imagine how they feel knowing that they can’t eat? It’s just like segregating children between those whose parents have the right papers and those who don’t.”
Praxis noted around two million people are impacted by the government’s No Recourse to Public Funds policy, which leads to them being blocked from access to almost all help from the state irrespective of how precarious the situation they are in or how scant their wages are. The charity estimates some 390,000 children feel the repercussions of this fiercely criticised policy.
Campaigners at the organisation warned the No Recourse to Public Funds policy has especially harmful consequences for children, due to it preventing families from accessing measures, such as free school meals, which stop them from walking the breadline.
No recourse to public funds applies to individuals residing in the UK on a temporary immigration status who have yet to gain permanent residency.
Josephine Whitaker-Yilmaz, policy and public affairs manager at Praxis, said: “Many of the mothers we support are regularly pushed to jump through hoops, take on several jobs and sometimes, sadly, stay in abusive relationships in order to be able to feed and look after their children.
“At a time when the cost of living is rising rapidly, excluding children living in poverty from free school meals just because of their parents’ immigration status will be a double-edged sword that hits both mothers and children.
“That’s why it’s so important for the whole family that all children who need free school meals can continue to access them.”
Ms Whitaker-Yilmaz warned as the cost of living increases, families “urgently need certainty” they will carry on being able to depend on this much-needed provision to ensure “no child ends up going hungry”.
“That’s why we’re calling on Secretary of State Nadhim Zahawi to urgently make permanent the temporary extension of free school meals to all children who need them,” she added. “Parental immigration status should have no bearing on whether a child living in poverty is entitled to a school dinner.”
Marcus Rashford, the Manchester United footballer who campaigns against racism and child hunger, has urged ministers to make the provision - rolled out in April 2020 after Covid hit and schools closed - permanent.
Praxis noted prices are “skyrocketing” which is increasing the strain on household’s finances as the charity warned child poverty is increasing and revoking the free school meals provision would leave “some of the poorest and most vulnerable families” in the UK at risk of hunger.
