Weaver Vale MP Mike Amesbury has blasted the government in Parliament after it voted through changes which he says will deprive thousands of children in his constituency of access to free school meals.
A spokesperson for Labour said that the party had attempted a last-gasp bid to block changes to the Universal Credit benefit thresholds, but was defeated by 312 votes to 254 votes after MPs debated the issue.
A statement from Mr Amesbury’s office said: “An estimated 16,500 children in Cheshire – a county which Esther McVey, the government’s own work and pensions secretary, also represents alongside Mike Amesbury – will now lose free school meals.”
Esther McVey’s office issued a statement shortly afterwards which refuted this. It said claims that thousands of children will be denied free school meals across Cheshire are untrue.
Ms McVey commented: “No child that currently receives meals will have them stopped. This is nothing more than scaremongering.
“Under the changes we will have a fairly targeted system to ensure more children benefit from free school meals.
She continued: “Claims by the Children’s Society’s campaign are misinformed. Nobody currently receiving free school meals will lose their entitlement when moving onto Universal Credit.
“Rather, the government estimates that by 2022, around 50,000 more children will benefit from free school meals compared to the previous benefits system.”
The row has come to the fore due to the changes being voted on in Parliament this week.
Under the old system, children were entitled to free school meals if their parents receive an out of work benefit such as Jobseekers’ Allowance.
They’d only lose their entitlement once their parent or parents start working 16 hours a week (if there’s one adult in the house), or 24 hours a week (if there are two).
During the initial roll out of Universal Credit, any family in receipt of any payment was eligible for free school meals.
The subsequent changes to the scheme will mean that children only qualify if their parents earn less than £7,400 – which along with Universal Credit payments means their household income totals £18,000-£24,000.
No one who is currently eligible for free school meals under Universal Credit will lose their entitlement.
Channel 4 News’ Fact Check investigation into the issue concluded: “This is not a case of the government taking free school meals from a million children who are currently receiving them: it’s about comparing two future, hypothetical scenarios. Both of them are more generous than the old benefits system.”
