Council Scraps Free School Holiday Food Vouchers For Vulnerable Isle Of Wight Children

Tuesday, 24 May 2022 17:48

By Oliver Dyer @olidyer

The Isle of Wight's most vulnerable children WON'T be given school holiday food vouchers this coming half-term after the free initiative was scrapped, the Isle of Wight Council has confirmed.

Parents have told Isle of Wight Radio they're "confused" by the move as many relied on the scheme.

The Isle of Wight Council said it was "only ever intended to be short-term" during the pandemic, and pointed the finger at central Government for changing how funding is distributed.

Instead, the local authority is advising families to use food pantries — two of which aren't yet open.

A spokesperson for the council said:

"When the Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) launched the Covid Winter Grant in December 2020, which was used to fund school holiday food vouchers, it was only ever intended to be a short-term scheme to help families through the toughest times of the pandemic.

“Whilst we have seen funding continue to help vulnerable families across the UK, the latest guidance from DWP has seen a change in how that funding must be spent, and that has left most Local Authorities unable to fund the school holiday food vouchers."

School holiday food vouchers were first introduced by local authorities in December 2020, as part of the Government's COVID-19 response.

Announcing the initiative's return in October 2021, the councillor in charge of Children's Services on the Island, Cllr Debbie Andre, said:

"It is vitally important to us that no child should go hungry over the school holiday."

At the time, the funding helped support more than 5,000 children. The scheme was last run on the Island in the Easter holidays.

Fast forward less than a year, and it's now been scrapped.

The council said although "vouchers do not provide a sustainable longer-term solution to poverty", it plans to introduce a new scheme.

A spokesperson continued:

“A voucher scheme will shortly be available to vulnerable households which will provide a one-off £125 food voucher for residents eligible for Local Council Tax Support and Pension Credit Guaranteed Credit, a one-off £50 food voucher per household eligible for Local Council Tax Support and benefits-related Free School Meals and/or, a one-off £25 food voucher for residents eligible for Local Council Tax Support where there are no children or pensioners living at the property. Full details of how to obtain the vouchers will be published widely.

“Vouchers do not provide a sustainable longer-term solution to poverty. Other initiatives include support with the costs of utility bills through Citizens Advice, help with exceptional housing costs through the council and a broad range of community projects across the County. All support available is published on the connect4communities website: connect4communities.org."

A community pantry in East Cowes is up and running, while the pantry in Ventnor will be launching Tuesday, May 31.

One is also scheduled to open in Ryde on June 9.

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Council Scraps Free School Holiday Food Vouchers For Vulnerable Isle Of Wight Children

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