UNISON Northern Ireland

UNISON WELCOMES SUMMER HOLIDAY FOOD GRANT FOR SCHOOL CHILDREN

Amid fears that thousands of families in the north would miss out on free school meal entitlement over the summer months due to the lack of an Executive at Stormont, this announcement is to be welcomed.

Ministers had originally agreed in 2020 to pay for meals for eligible children during the school holidays, but funding for the payments was only agreed until Easter 2022.

It has now been confirmed payments will be given out over the summer holidays this year to families of 98,000 children.

The £12.6 million summer holiday food grant will run from July 1 to August 31 with families set to receive £13.50 per week for each entitled child.

UNISON Northern Ireland's free school meals campaign has responded with a call for the extension of the free school meals service. We need an Executive in place and we need an Education Minister to secure funding to ensure the delivery of school meals for all children.