"Pressing issues" in school meals incites LACA government letter

LACA (the School Food People) has drafted a letter to the government expressing "concerns and support for different challenges that the industry faces", and is now encouraging members to pledge their support to the cause.

Elements of the recent budget, such as higher National Insurance contributions and an increase in the National Minimum Wage, are estimated to exacerbate pre-existing concerns for funding school meals.

The letter says: "As advocates for nutritious and accessible meals for our children, we believe it is crucial to bring to your attention the significant hurdles that threaten the quality and sustainability of school food services."

Raising awareness for three different points of contention, the letter emphasises cost-related challenges related to current free school meal funding for benefit-based Free School Meals (FSM) and Universal Infant Free School Meals (UIFSM), which it claims is out of touch with the real costs of provision.

The second concern relates to government plans to roll out breakfast club schemes across English schools, which it wants to be treated as a separate, well-funded service. It asserts that adding the School Food Standards (SFS) "require than breakfast provision meets specific nutritional criteria".

Finally, the letter is worried that the current cost-of-living "crisis" has only made these challenges worse.

"If funding is not increased to at least £3 per meal, we face the grim reality of declining standards and inadequate service provision. This is not just a financial issue; it is a matter of public health and social equity.

"We urge you to recognise the importance of investing in our school food services to raise the healthiest generation of children ever. By increasing the funding and ensuring that it aligns with the true costs of provision, year-on-year, we can safeguard the health of our children and support their educational journeys."