The 29-year-old former One Direction singer relied on free school meals as a child growing up in Bradford
Zayn Malik called the Prime Minister of the United Kingdom, Rishi Sunakto “give to all children living in poverty” free school meals to alleviate food insecurity during the cost of living crisis.
The 29-year-old singer, former member of One Directionrelied on free school meals as a child growing up in Bradford.
Recently the singer became an ambassador for the Food Foundation, a British humanitarian organization that provides food to those in need and supports the Feed the Future campaign. In this context he has written to the UK Prime Minister to ask him to use the November budget to extend the cap for free school meals to include young people from low income families.
Currently, in England and Wales, children aged four to 16 are entitled to free school meals if they live in a household receiving income-related benefits such as Universal Credit and have an annual income of less than £7,400 after tax.
Around 1.9 million children are entitled to free school meals in England, almost a quarter of the total school population. But according to the Food Foundation, four million children faced food insecurity in September 2022.
This is because around 40% of Universal Credit claimants are in jobs, meaning they earn more than the £7,400 threshold, which then prevents them from accessing free school meals.
“These children suffer from a lack of concentration, some even resort to stealing food from school canteens because they are so hungry but cannot afford to buy lunch,” the singer wrote in the letter. “They also feel shame, which directly affects their physical and mental health,” he added.
He even mentioned his own personal experience as a child who grew up with difficulties. “I know what this shame feels like, I’ve seen it first-hand, growing up in Bradford on free school meals. I personally experienced the stigma around food insecurity.”
“I hope that by writing this letter we can all ensure that no child has to experience this hunger and stigma again, as my experience is not unique, it is a battle that many children in England are fighting at the moment.”
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With a wealth of experience honed over 4+ years in journalism, I bring a seasoned voice to the world of news. Currently, I work as a freelance writer and editor, always seeking new opportunities to tell compelling stories in the field of world news.
