Campaigners have branded an uplift in funding for universal infant free school meals “inadequate”, saying funding announced by the Department for Education amounts to just 7p per pupil for each meal. Education Secretary Nadhim Zahawi announced that funding to provide healthy school meals for pupils in years one and two will increase from £2.34 to £2.41 per meal, backdated to 1 April. The funding increase, which totals £18m per year, has been agreed “in recognition of the rising cost of living”, according to DfE. However, organisations supporting families facing food poverty, have said that the uplift does not match rising inflation and will “do little” to improve the quality of food in schools. Read more.
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