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It feels that the inadequate funding of school meals it has been campaigning on for some time will only be exacerbated by measures in the recent budget, including a rise in employers National Insurance contributions and an increase of the National Minimum Wage.

The letter says: “As advocates for nutritious and accessible meals for our children, we believe it is crucial to bring to your attention the significant hurdles that threaten the quality and sustainability of school food services.”

It highlights three areas of concern. The first are the cost challenges related to the current funding for free school meals (benefit-based Free School Meals (FSM) and Universal Infant Free School Meals (UIFSM), which it claims is not aligned with the real costs of provision.

The second involve worries about plans to roll out breakfast provision across schools in England. It wants the scheme to be treated as a standalone service with adequate funding, adding that the School Food Standards (SFS) ‘require that breakfast provision meets specific nutritional criteria’.

Thirdly, it says that the ongoing cost-of-living ‘crisis’ has exacerbated these challenges.

“If funding is not increased to at least £3 per meal, we face the grim reality of declining standards and inadequate service provision. This is not just a financial issue; it is a matter of public health and social equity.

“We urge you to recognise the importance of investing in our school food services to raise the healthiest generation of children ever. By increasing funding and ensuring that it aligns with the true costs of provision, year-on-year, we can safeguard the health of our children and support their educational journeys.”

LACA is asking all school caterers to lend weight to the letter by signing it to add their support. You can access the letter by clicking on the link: https://www.laca.co.uk/laca-letter-government