Mark Durkan blasts denial of holiday hunger payments as ‘cruel’

The SDLP MLA had urged the Department of Education (DE) to rethink their decision given the cumulative impact of the cost of living crisis and incoming Universal Credit migration of Tax Credit claimants.

The department said the current budget was ‘insufficient to enable any resumption of School Holiday Food Grant (SHFG) payments to cover this Christmas period.’

In a letter to Mr. Durkan, Dr. Mark Browne, DE Permanent Secretary, said there was a funding gap for the department in the region of £300m based on the 2023-24 budget allocated by the Secretary of State.

Mr. Durkan said: “At a time when there is a £3.3b package sitting on the table, it is appalling that food insecurity is a reality for some families in Northern Ireland.

“An equality and human rights policy screening published by the department recognised the value of school holiday food grant, it also recognised the disproportionate impact cuts would have on pupils with a disability.

"Yet they refuse to reinstate these payments which were a lifeline to so many low-income households. The decision isn’t only senseless but cruel.

“Foodbanks have witnessed a 194% increase in usage since 2018. Given such profound need, ring-fenced funding for holiday hunger payments should’ve been extended.

“The North has been ploughed into Dickensian conditions, meanwhile the DUP stand idly claiming they’re ‘not calendar-led’ but ‘condition-led.’ It’s high time they were conscience-led and did what was right for people, for children whose families can’t afford to put meals on the table.”

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