Aberlour and The Scottish Sun launch ‘Sort The School Debt’ campaign
Today (Monday 30th October) The Scottish Sun, in partnership with Aberlour Children’s Charity, announces that families owe £1.8million to local councils in missing school meal payments.
More than 30,000 children across Scotland currently have debt against their names as their parents struggle to make ends meet.
It’s shocking that families struggling to feed their children are being chased for arrears and this debt is fuelling a cost-of-living catastrophe.
In 2022, our research conducted by Prof Morag Treanor of Heriot Watt University and Glasgow University, discovered that families owed over £1million in school meal debt. This is now increased by a staggering 60% to £1,763,762.
Since our campaign began last year, 15 councils have committed to write off the debt owed. Since this commitment debt has already started to build again, leaving stressed and struggling families feeling ashamed about not being able to provide for their children.
Martin Canavan, Head of Policy and Participation at Aberlour, said: “The fact the words ‘school meal debt’ exist in the same sentence should shame us as a country.
“I can’t think of anything that feels more unjust. It says something quite profound about how we don’t provide support to those often most disadvantaged and vulnerable children and families.”
School Meal Debt mainly affects primary school pupils, who use a pre-payment system for meals. Those not eligible for free lunches still get fed but the cost is added to their account.
Martin said: “I’m flabbergasted that this debt has gone up by a significant amount since last year.
“That is despite the fact around half a million pounds of debt has supposedly been written off.
“This has been a cost-of-living catastrophe for families that are trapped in poverty as a result of debt to public bodies.
“We hear from them of a sense of humiliation, shame and stigma when they are unable to afford things for their children.
“They have to rely on help from charities like Aberlour and go to foodbanks to provide meals.”
He added: “That’s a shocking state for one of the wealthiest countries in the world to be in.
“It’s critical that government at all levels steps up and does what it can to relieve the financial pressures our poorest families are struggling under right now.”
We are calling on the Scottish Government and local councils to scrap all school meal debt to provide relief to our poorest families trapped in poverty.
We are also urging the Scottish Government to extend eligibility of free school meals by raising the threshold so, at the very least, all those who are entitled to Universal Credit or Scottish Child Payment will receive a free lunch at school.
Martin said: “The moral case for ending all school meal debt is hard to argue against.
“We’ve made that call to local authorities to write it off. And, so far, 15 have made that commitment.
“But it means more than half have done nothing about this issue.
“There is inconsistency across the country. We need the First Minister and Scottish Government to act.
“A sense of fairness and justice would mean they should take the decision to make sure school meal debt isn’t a thing for any child or family in the future.”