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Families across England face growing hardship during summer holidays, with rising demand for food support amid fears of increased child hunger as free school meals end and charitable services struggle to keep pace.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n
Families across England are facing acute financial hardship over the school summer holidays, with many parents struggling to provide basic meals for their children once free school meals are no longer available. A father-of-three from London shared with Sky News how he and his wife, despite both working, have been forced to sell toys, clothes, ornaments, and even dip into their children\u2019s birthday money just to keep food on the table. \u201cIt\u2019s not champagne and caviar we need \u2013 just fruit and veg, yoghurts, bread, milk,\u201d he said, highlighting the stark reality behind the cost-of-living crisis. <\/p>\n
This father\u2019s experience is far from isolated. According to a report by The Felix Project charity, 67% of teachers in England are worried that at least one child in their class will go hungry during the summer holidays, a period when free school meals are not provided. This figure amounts to roughly 675,000 pupils at risk of food insecurity\u2014meaning they consistently lack access to affordable and nutritious food. The teacher survey showed that more than half feared up to three children per class could be affected, while 13% were concerned about four to six pupils, with some classrooms reporting as many as 11 children facing hunger.<\/p>\n
The scale of the challenge is particularly pronounced in urban areas like London. A survey commissioned by The Felix Project found nearly two-thirds of London teachers are concerned about ‘holiday hunger’ affecting their pupils, with estimates suggesting up to 98,000 school children in the capital alone could go without sufficient food during the summer break. At William Ford Junior School in Dagenham, a food bank run in partnership with The Felix Project expected to cater for around 50 families but quickly found demand far exceeded projections. Family support worker Kerry Noakes noted, \u201cWe know Felix estimated one child in every class would go hungry. We felt it was more accurate to say four or five children in each class.\u201d The food bank increasingly serves parents, elderly relatives, and neighbours, demonstrating the wider community impact.<\/p>\n
Demand on food charities continues to surge. At The Felix Project\u2019s London centre, which distributes cooked meals, head of community engagement Rachel Ledwith described how many working families who had never before needed support are now turning to food banks. \u201cEven with the incredible work that we\u2019re doing, there are still children going hungry,\u201d she said. The charity\u2019s services are oversubscribed every summer, forcing staff to turn people away despite overwhelming need, with around 800 organisations currently on a waitlist for support.<\/p>\n
The government acknowledges the pressures families face during school holidays. The Department for Education (DfE) said it recognises that holidays can be a \u201cpressurised time for parents\u201d and pointed to its \u201cPlan for Change,\u201d designed to provide financial relief both in term time and holidays. Recently, the government announced an extension of funding for the Holiday Activities and Food (HAF) programme, which supports councils in providing free meals and activities for children eligible for free school meals. This programme, targeting children from reception to year 11, is said to help parents save more than \u00a3300 annually. With an investment of \u00a3600 million over the next three years, the extension aims to address some of the gap, though the continuing rise in demand underscores the scale of the challenge.<\/p>\n
The combination of a widening cost-of-living crisis and the end of free school meals during holiday periods paints a concerning picture for child food insecurity in England. Charity reports, teacher surveys, and the lived experiences of families highlight a growing need for accessible support systems to ensure children do not go hungry when they are out of school. Despite government programmes and charitable interventions, many parents and children remain vulnerable, with food banks and community services struggling to keep pace with rising demand.<\/p>\n