Andy Burnham is being urged to adopt an “economic populist” approach to the Cost of Living crisis, including an expansion in free school meals to all primary-age children. From the start of the 2026 to 2027 academic year, all children from households in receipt of Universal Credit attending these schools will be entitled to receive a free meal.
Two Categories of Free School Meals
Going forward, there will be two categories of benefits-based free school meals. Targeted FSM continues to be based on the existing threshold, covering pupils in households receiving Universal Credit with annual household earnings of £7,400 or less. Expanded FSM is a new category covering pupils who do not qualify for targeted FSM but are in households receiving Universal Credit.
Other Proposed Changes
Other changes proposed to the new Labour Party MP include raising the rate of tax on investors’ profits to the same rate as workers’ wages. A new survey, published by The Guardian, based on polling of about 10,000 voters, shows that if whoever succeeds Keir Starmer adopts radical policy measures, it could engineer a dramatic turnaround against Reform UK and Nigel Farage.
Flagship ‘No10 North’ Programme
His flagship “No10 North”, based in Manchester, will lead his programme to boost regional economies, including in London, Mr Burnham has said this week. “Working with local areas, Number 10 North will oversee the biggest council house building programme since the post-war era,” he told The Standard. “We will use vacant public land to reduce costs. We will adopt a national Housing First philosophy and we will put a secure home back where it belongs: at the foundation of working class aspiration.”
He explained further: “For London, that means more council homes and genuinely affordable homes. It means homes people can afford in Brent, Greenwich, Tower Hamlets, Westminster and Hillingdon. It means towns and local centres with more life. It means high streets that are backed, not managed in decline.”
