Currently, households with a child at a Lambeth primary school, who receive Council Tax Support or Discretionary Housing Payments from the council, but who do not receive means-tested benefits such as Universal Credit, are not eligible. In addition, these households will receive holiday vouchers worth £20 per week for each eligible child, as is current policy for children in receipt of statutory free school meals. Letters have been sent to eligible families to inform them of this change in the offer. This is separate to the Mayor’s emergency funding which will provide free school meals to all primary school pupils during term time during 2023-4.
Cllr David Amos, Cabinet Member for Finance and Cost of Living said: “The most vulnerable families in our borough have been significantly impacted by the cost of living crisis. This offer will hopefully go a long way to helping families in need who are struggling to feed their children during the holidays.
“By tackling child food poverty, we will be supporting better educational and health outcomes for children. The benefits include improving concentration, child development, and attainment, as well as avoiding poorer health later in life.”
Newly eligible households have been automatically enrolled. Those who do not wish to enrol their child onto the free school meals scheme, were told to email costofliving@lambeth.gov.uk before Monday 17 July.
This programme is part of Lambeth Council’s £10 million Cost of Living support package. More information on this and the support available to residents can be found at www.lambeth.gov.uk/costofliving.
The cost of living programme is funded by a combination of central government grants (Household Support Fund and Council Tax Support Fund) and additional council funding.
