Children 'to get one £15 voucher a week' to replace free school meals

27 March 2020, 10:36

Boris Johnson’s address to the nation on coronavirus

The vouchers will give children £3 a day to replace their free school meals amid coronavirus school closures.

Children who usually receive free school meals will now reportedly receive one £15 food voucher a week, following last week's school closures.

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This will add up to £3 a day - which is 70p more than schools are paid to provide the meals, Schools Week reports.

It is believed that the new measure will come into force in April.

The vouchers will be provided by a third party hired by the government, and will be redeemable at all major supermarkets.

It is not yet know whether they will be provided during the Easter Holidays.

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Prime Minister Boris Johnson promised that free school meals would be made available during his press conference yesterday, following his announcement that UK schools would close for most pupils.

He said: "We are making provisions to supply meals and vouchers for children eligible for free school meals.

"And where some schools are already doing this, I want to make it clear we will reimburse the cost."

Schools have been shut for all children - other than the kids of certain key workers - since last Friday, meaning many parents have been struggling to make ends meet with the increased cost of feeding their kids.

Around 1.3 million kids get free school meals, which they receive because their parents are on certain benefits such as Universal Credit or working tax credit.

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