Free school meals: NI ‘holiday hunger’ payments axed

Children are eligible for free school meals if their families have an annual taxable income of £16,190 or less, or net household earnings of less than £14,000 per year.

The former education minister Michelle McIlveen had extended the funding for the scheme until the end of March 2023.

But the department said that from 1 April “additional ringfenced funding has ended and therefore school holiday food grants can no longer be made”.

A head teacher in Londonderry said the move would have a significant impact on families in areas of high deprivation.

Gary Matthewson from Holy Family Primary and Nursery School said the move would “likely have a knock-on effect on foodbanks”.

“Families have become accustomed to the funding, they use it in terms of their financial planning in their daily meals and heating of homes,” he added.

Mr Matthewson said the decision to cut the funding was “unsurprising” and that this was “one of many significant cuts in the education service”.

“This is related to the fact that there is an insufficient education budget coming into Northern Ireland,” he said.

“This is the front edge of what will be an exceptionally difficult financial year and possibly beyond that.”