8,763 children in Wolverhampton face losing free school lunches under Tory plans.

The new analysis, based on Government statistics, shows 8 out of 10 pupils in Wolverhampton aged 7 and under who currently receive free school meals would no longer get them under Conservative proposals to means-test eligibility.

The figures also show families would be around £450 a year worse off for each child they have in infant school.

We all know the importance of a good meal for focussed learning and concentration in class. The growth of free school meals for the youngest children has also been an important financial help to young families in recent years. The Conservatives’ plans will make it harder for children and families. And their proposals to replace free school meals with free breakfasts have already been criticised for being hopelessly under-funded. If these plans go ahead, 8,743 children in Wolverhampton will lose their lunches and if you’ve got two children under seven years old you could face paying almost £1,000 a year to cover the cost of a hot lunch.
 
Scrapping universal free school meals for the youngest children, and cutting funding from our local schools, show the Tories have no intention of helping Wolverhampton’s ‘just about managing’ families. Our City needs strong Labour MPs who will fight to give all our children the best start in life, not a Tory who will roll over and accept the cuts being handed down to local people.