Cash-strapped parents have been going without meals to stop their children going hungry during the school holidays, MPs have heard.
The Government was urged by the influential Commons work and pensions committee to extend support for families so they could all be fed.
It came after the Mirror revealed that record levels of children would be going hungry during the long summer break.
Frank Field, chairman of the Work and Pensions Select Committee, said MPs had heard ‘profoundly distressing’ evidence from mothers who spoke of their struggles during the summer holidays.
The Labour MP has written to new Education Secretary Gavin Williamson and Work and Pensions Secretary Amber Rudd to urge them to take immediate action to help struggling families.
“We heard about parents going without meals and surviving on cereal just to make sure their children were fed,” he said.
“We heard about families being plunged into debt, just to get by. We would be grateful if you would consider the evidence we have heard, and reflect on what immediate action the Government might take.”
He urged them to extend a pilot scheme which supports children eligible for free school meals during the summer break.
Around 50,000 youngsters from disadvantaged homes will get free meals and activities inside schools after the Government quadrupled funding to £9m in a bid to tackle the crisis.
But charities have warned of a growing problem of holiday hunger as many families struggle to feed their kids at home.
Separately, a survey by Unite the union today [WED] reveals that hated universal credit is causing thousands of children to go hungry.
More than four fifths (79%) of parents in a survey of over 1,000 claimants said they found it hard to make ends meet during the break.
Many had fallen into debt or forced to rely on foodbanks or the help of friends and family.
The loss of free school meals during the holidays adds between £30 and £40 a week to parents’ outgoings.
Over 80% of parents on UC also said birthdays and Christmas were particularly difficult times to make ends meet.
Almost 70% of mums and dads on the benefit had skipped meals and 52% said they couldn’t afford school trips.
Unite’s Liane Groves said: “Despite knowing how UC is forcing claimants into poverty, the Government is still intent on ploughing ahead regardless, pushing families to the brink of survival.”
A Government spokesman said: “We recognise that some families need more support.
“That’s why we’re investing £9 million in free summer holiday clubs and continuing to spend £95 billion a year on working age welfare to support families.”
