“No young person should have to go hungry and ensuring vulnerable pupils are provided for is a top priority for councils who have worked hard with their partners to support children and families during the pandemic."
Responding to a report by the Social Market Foundation which suggests that more than 1.9 million children in the UK have gone short of food this year, Cllr Richard Watts, Chair of the Local Government Association’s Resources Board, said:
“No young person should have to go hungry and ensuring vulnerable pupils are provided for is a top priority for councils who have worked hard with their partners to support children and families during the pandemic.
“Councils will be using the Government’s £170 million winter funding package to help provide and oversee support to ensure children do not go hungry in the Christmas holidays and February half-term.
“We also want to work with government to ensure councils have the long-term sustainable funding to do more planned preventative work to address underlying causes of hardship and disadvantage, and provide support to all households who need it.
“As many households are likely to be economically vulnerable for some time to come, it is also vital that the Government restores local welfare funding so councils can provide preventative support to families who need it.”