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News from CPAG

FREE SCHOOL MEALS
Few can have missed the phenomenal campaigning from footballer Marcus Rashford
to tackle hunger during the school holidays. Although the Westminster government
has not extended the free school meals programme this half term, child poverty
is now well and truly in the spotlight and there is a lot of pressure on
politicians to act. It’s good to see some local councils stepping in to help
provide for children over half term but this is only a temporary solution - and
a patchy one. Meanwhile, the Welsh and Scottish governments have committed to
funding free school meals throughout the holidays up to and including the Easter
break in 2021, and in Northern Ireland this half term is covered. It’s
heart-warming that so many people have been moved to take action and to do
whatever they can, as individuals and businesses, to stop children going hungry.
However, we believe that support for children in the lowest income families
should be in the form of cash, paid directly to families, so they can have the
dignity of making their own choices about how to meet their children’s needs.

We want to see this government addressing the root causes of child poverty:
insufficient incomes and high costs (see our priorities below). We want parents
to be able to buy food for their families, but also ensure they can heat their
homes and buy clothing, toys and other things their children need. Our social
security system needs to support families better, so the government should keep
the £20 ‘Covid bonus’ to universal credit rather than end it next April (as well
as extending it to other benefits like employment and support allowance), but
also invest more in benefits for children. Increasing child benefit would mean
more money to cover all children's needs - from food to clothes to school trips
- throughout the year.

As for free school meals, they should be available to all schoolchildren. As a
starting point, like Marcus Rashford we're pushing for free school meals to be available to all in children in families on universal
credit
[[link removed]] . Our research showed that over 70,000 children in Wales live below the poverty line but are not eligible
for free school meals
[[link removed]] because the eligibility threshold is currently very low. But we know that the
best way forward is universal free school meals - they reduce stigma and boost
learning and attainment.

OUR PRIORITIES
New data from End Child Poverty shows the level of child poverty across the UK
[[link removed]] . We need a long-term plan to tackle it. Within that plan our top priorities are:

* Keeping the £20 ‘Covid bonus’ in universal credit and extending it to other
benefits
* Lifting the benefit cap and two-child limit
* Increasing child benefit by £10 a week
* Giving more children free school meals
* Investing in education in order to reduce the attainment gap
* Investment in high-quality childcare, in particular extended schools, to help
parents work
* A focus on supporting parents who can work into sustainable skilled jobs that
can lead to increased earnings over time.

Read our full submission to the government's spending review
[[link removed]] .

2021 LONDON MARATHON PLACE UP FOR GRABS
We are pleased to have a place in the 2021 London Marathon next October. If you
fancy taking on the challenge for CPAG, please email Alice on [email protected] [[email protected]?subject=London%20marathon] for details.

PASS ON SOMETHING WONDERFUL
We are offerering our supporters a 20 per cent discount on making your will through Co-op Legal Services. Follow this link [[link removed]] to be taken to the Co-op's website with the discount already applied.

RAFFLE FOR CPAG
Throughout 2020, we are delighted to have the support of Norwich-based firm MJP
Conveyancing. As part of their fundraising they are running a Christmas raffle
which they have now opened up to CPAG supporters.

To enter, please visit their JustGiving page
[[link removed]] and make a donation over £5 (please leave your details so you can be contacted
if you win). Prizes include a 50 inch smart TV, Veuve Clicquot champagne and
afternoon tea in London.

All money raised will raised will go to our work fighting child poverty.

CPAG CHRISTMAS CARDS
As the countdown to the festive season begins, why not stock up on our
beautifully hand-designed Christmas cards? Our Christmas cards are a vital
source of income to help fund our work to end child poverty in the UK. We’ve
teamed up with artist Sam Murray-Sutton to bring you another beautiful watercolour design
[[link removed]] this year, and back by popular demand is our penguin card
[[link removed]] .

DONATE
[[link removed]]Find us online: [[link removed]] [[link removed]] [[link removed]]

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[[link removed]] .

Child Poverty Action Group is a charity registered in England and Wales
(registration number 294841) and in Scotland (registration number SC039339).
Company limited by guarantee registered in England (registration number
1993854). Registered office: 30 Micawber Street, London, N1 7TB. VAT no. 690
8081 17