charity based in the North East, is making an urgent appeal to all political parties to commit to a series of crucial measures aimed at eradicating poverty and food insecurity. The charity calls for the following commitments:
- Long-term Commitment to Local Support:
- Free School Meal Vouchers: Ensure continued provision of free school meal vouchers to support children from low-income families.
- Holiday Activities and Food Programme: Guarantee funding and support for the Holiday Activities and Food Programmes to provide essential services during school holidays.
- Household Support Fund: Maintain and expand the Household Support Fund to assist families facing financial difficulties.
- Statutory Duty of Care:
- The charity urges that the Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) adopts a statutory duty of care to guide their policies and decisions, ensuring the welfare and well-being of the most vulnerable are prioritised.
- Review of the Benefit System:
- Transition to Universal Credit: Implement clear strategies to avoid income reductions during the transition period to Universal Credit.
- Sanctions: Review and reform sanction policies to prevent undue hardship.
- Asylum and Refugee Status: Provide consistent support for individuals moving between asylum and refugee status to avoid disruptions in their financial stability.
CEO of Feeding Families, Juliet Sanders said: “Feeding Families emphasises that regardless of which party forms the next government, there must be a firm commitment to ending poverty and food insecurity. The charity’s appeal is driven by the belief that no child or family should have to rely on community food provision to meet their basic needs.”
Regardless of who gets into power, it’s essential that these points are brought to the forefront of their policies, ensuring that efforts to eradicate food poverty are constantly addressed and not put on a back burner any longer.
Sanders concluded:
“By addressing these issues, the next government can ensure a more secure and hopeful future for the next generation. Feeding Families stands ready to work with all political leaders to implement these vital changes.”