Good News .Warning benefit changes may see fewer free school meals

Plans to simplify the welfare system may mean thousands of England's poorest children lose their entitlement to free school meals, a charity has warned.

The meals are linked to low-income benefits that are among those merging into a single Universal Credit in 2013.
In a report, the Children's Society said ministers were considering an income cap for eligibility that could leave 120,000 families worse off.
The government said it was determined to ensure no needy child misses out.
The Children's Society estimated that it would cost £500m to extend free school meals to all families on Universal Credit.
It said ministers were instead considering limiting it to households with earnings below a certain level, thought to be about £145 a week.

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The government has an unique opportunity to extend free school meals to all low-income working families”

Elaine Hindal Children's Society

The charity said that would create a benefit cliff-edge that could see 120,000 families worse off if they worked longer or earned more.

The government has said people should always better off in work than on welfare.
The Children's Society's campaign for childhood director, Elaine Hindal, said the introduction of a new system of entitlement was a chance to increase the availability of free school meals.
"The government has an unique opportunity to extend free school meals to all low-income working families, so that no child living in poverty misses out.
"This would be in line with the government's aim to make work pay by paving the way for many families to return to employment and help lift them out of poverty."
The Children's Society has launched a petition calling on the government to extend free school meals to all children living in poverty in England - including low-income working families - by October 2012.
Children are said to be living in poverty if they are in a household living on less than 60% of median household income after the deduction of housing costs.