Rotherham Council’s £30 supermarket vouchers to ease cost of living crisis for families this Christmas

Rotherham Council is funding the scheme for almost 12,000 children who are entitled to benefits-related free school meals.

The value of the vouchers equate to the amount it costs to provide a meal for each child – £3 per day – when they are in school.

Since January 2020, the number of children in Rotherham entitled to means-tested free school meals has risen by more than a third, from 8,557 to 11,937, as the impact of the pandemic, followed by soaring inflation has hit family budgets hard.

The total cost of providing the support this Christmas is over £350,000.

Councillor Victoria Cusworth, cabinet member for children and young people said: “Our support for families with children eligible for free school meals will not solve the growing problem of food poverty which is affecting more and more people, but it does at least provide some respite for residents really struggling to make ends meet. Many parents tell us that the help provided during school holidays is a lifeline.

“Everyone is being impacted by the cost of living crisis and the spiralling cost of food. But only families on the lowest incomes – both employed and unemployed – are eligible for free school meals under the Government-set criteria, so we know this support is being targeted at children from families on the very lowest incomes.”

RMBC has also provided £115,000 to foodbanks across the borough, and £44,000 has been given to help local voluntary groups who are collating Christmas food hampers for around 500 vulnerable households.