Cost of living: Schools now 'fourth emergency service'

Schools are acting as a "fourth emergency service" feeding families due to the cost of living crisis, a report claims.

A headteacher made the claim in a study, led by the University of Bristol, which researched food charity in schools.

It cited a pupil's letter to school which said: "We haven't got any food for tonight, Please can you help?".

The paper said schools were now a "safety net".

According to the study, led by Dr William Baker, schools have also stepped in to provide clothes, shoes and cleaning products.

Dr Baker said: "It's striking and concerning how normalised and embedded the food aid had become within schools in England."

He added: "The cost of living crisis has been incredibly challenging for families across Bristol and parents are now regularly reaching out to schools to ask for help with food."

His research involved 25 schools across the nation's cities and towns, with most reporting they support between 15 and 20 families on a "regular basis".

It said several larger secondary schools in deprived areas were supporting more than 40 families a week with food.

According to interviews with staff, families were "falling through cracks" in the welfare system, for example those on Universal Credit who may not quite qualify for free school meal provision.

A support worker said in the study: "It's those on the borderline, that actually, they can't get free school meals, because they're earning £10 more than just above the threshold…so with everything else is going to happen, they're not going to be able to manage."

High levels of food insecurity can impact children's educational outcomes and experiences, as well as their mental and physical health.

The study's lead author Dr William Baker said: "Levels of food insecurity in the UK are deeply concerning and create major challenges for families and schools.

"No child or family should go hungry or worry about where their next meal is coming from.

"Schools and food charity can't solve this problem; it requires a more co-ordinated and extensive response from government that tackles destitution and poverty, particularly amongst families with children."

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