Free school meals: Allergy UK calls upon the Government to provide better choices for children with allergies

On 14th June 2022, the Department for Education announced an additional £18 million of funding of free school meals for infant school pupils. This announcement was made as the Government pledged to continue to support the Holiday Activities and Food Programme.

Meeting with representatives from UK businesses and the Cost-of-Living Tsar David Buttress, Education Secretary Nadhim Zahawi MP encouraged supermarkets and sport organisations to support the holiday scheme, which provides food and activities to support disadvantaged children.

In response to the announcement, Carla Jones, Chief Executive Officer, Allergy UK said:

We know that the Holiday Activities and Food Programme has benefitted so many families across the country, so we welcome this as well as additional funding for infant free school meals.  However, we know, from the allergic community we represent, that there are still schools whose meal provision does not include free from alternatives. We also know that free from foods are more expensive and therefore those with lower incomes will feel the squeeze on this even more. To this end, we are calling on the Government to ensure that children who suffer from food allergies are factored into this funding.  They too have a right to access the same healthy and nutritious lunches as their peers.