Free school meal claims in Northamptonshire jumped by a quarter in a year during pandemic

It comes after Northampton South MP Andrew Lewer labelled the vote earlier this week "virtue signalling".
DANIEL LEAL-OLIVAS/AFP via Getty ImagesDANIEL LEAL-OLIVAS/AFP via Getty Images
DANIEL LEAL-OLIVAS/AFP via Getty Images

The number of children claiming free school meals in Northamptonshire jumped by a quarter in the last year.

As of October 16 2020, the county council received 16,770 eligible claims for free school meals.

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Comparatively, on the same date in 2019, there were 13,536 eligible claims - meaning the number of children who need support to eat has jumped by 24 per cent over the course of the pandemic.

Andrew Lewer MP for Northampton South said the vote this week was "virtue signalling".Andrew Lewer MP for Northampton South said the vote this week was "virtue signalling".
Andrew Lewer MP for Northampton South said the vote this week was "virtue signalling".

It comes after MPs voted against an Opposition Party motion this week to end a scheme to provide vouchers for free school meals during school holidays until 2021, which was extended over the summer.

All of Northamptonshire's seven MPs voted against the motion.Northampton South - represented by Andrew Lewer - ranks 140 out of 650 constituencies on the UK's most highly-deprived index, and 156th place for how low incomes affect children.

Northampton borough council Emma Roberts [Lab., Delapre], who sits on the scrutiny committee for Food Poverty, said: "That is a phenomenal increase, and won’t include those who have recently lost jobs or reduced hours but aren’t yet claiming. I wonder whether our MP’s took a look at the figures or talked to any local groups before voting against.

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"I and the Labour Group are proposing a motion to full Council calling on our MPs and the council to provide resources to guarantee and extend free schools meals for children from families experiencing financial hardship during holiday periods and support local food aid initiatives with financial support.

"We have to find a way to ensure that no child goes hungry and they are given every opportunity to thrive."

Since the vote, several Northampton organisations have announced they will provide their own free school meals for children, including the Derngate, Jenny's Cafe in Brackley and the Wheatsheaf in Weedon.

In a statement, Andrew Lewer MP said the scheme was not extended this time like it was earlier this year because children were back at school and "benefiting from free school meals during term as normal".

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He said: "The vote held yesterday was the result of an Opposition Day Motion from the Labour Party; and as usual they have been playing political games and virtue signalling.

"Before March, vouchers for Free School Meals have never been issued outside of term time - it has always been a parent's responsibility to feed their child when not at school.

"The Labour Party has criticised us for this, but in their 13 years in power, they didn’t spend a penny on school-holiday vouchers for families, including during the 2008 financial crash. In contrast, we have supported families through Easter and the Summer holidays."

MP for Northampton North Michael Ellis has not replied to the Chron's requests for a comment. His constituency is ranked as the 185th most deprived in the UK.