Lifeline for hard up families as free school meals offered to thousands more children

Hard up families have been delivered a lifeline as letters offering free school meals to thousands more kids across Stockport begin dropping through letterboxes. Children in households that receive council tax support, housing benefit or both - but who do not currently qualify for free school meals - will be eligible from the start of the new academic year in September.

It means more than 3,000 extra youngsters will get a paid-for hot meal at school or college. The Stockport council initiative has been designed to support residents during the ‘cost of living crisis’ - extending the offer to low-income families who do not benefit from the nationally funded free school meal support (FSM).It applies to children aged between seven and 18 who live in Stockport, including those who go to non-Stockport schools and those who have gone on to college and other forms of further education. The £1.8m package - paid for by one-off council funding - was proposed by Labour at the start of the year and incorporated in the Lib Dem administration’s budget, which was passed in February.

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The support is worth around £500 per year for every eligible young person.Coun Jilly Julian, cabinet member for finance and resources said she was ‘so proud to be launching this scheme to help support our residents during the ongoing cost of living crisis’.“The scheme means that every Stockport child living in a low-income family will have the opportunity to receive a free meal every school day for the next academic year, regardless of whether they go to school or college within our borough or not,” said Coun Julian.

“This is a huge programme for our borough and I’m proud to be a