To mark World Sight Day on Thursday 8 October, Abena Oppong-Asare, MP for Erith and Thamesmead, has welcomed expanded access to NHS-funded eye care for children with special educational needs and disabilities (SEND).
SeeAbility has secured an NHS contract to provide eye care in special schools across London and the South East, potentially benefiting up to 70,000 children. The service offers free sight tests, glasses where needed, and reports to help families and teachers understand each child’s vision.
The charity already provides the service at Willow Dene School, which Abena visited in November 2024. Other special schools in the constituency can now opt in, with parents also choosing whether their children take part.
Children with learning disabilities are nearly 30 times more likely to have a serious sight problem. SeeAbility’s research found that more than four in ten pupils it had seen had no history of eye tests or eye care.
The expansion follows NHS England’s October 2024 announcement that annual eyesight checks would be offered to children and young people in all day and residential special schools across England.
Abena Oppong-Asare MP said:
“Having visited Willow Dene School, I have seen first-hand the difference this eye care service makes to children and their families. I’m delighted that NHS funding will help bring this vital care to more children in Erith and Thamesmead.
“World Sight Day is a reminder that everyone should be able to access the eye care they need. I hope more local special schools take up this NHS-funded service so that more children can benefit.”
https://www.abenaoppongasare.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/10/Abena-Oppong-Asare-MP-visit-to-Willow-Dene-and-special-schools-eye-care-service-scaled.jpg11522560Abena Oppong-Asare MPhttps://www.abenaoppongasare.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/03/SM-Logo-3.pngAbena Oppong-Asare MP2026-10-08 14:27:242026-10-09 14:28:18Abena welcomes expanded eye care for local children to mark World Sight Day
Thank you to the team at Abbey Wood Nursery School for such a warm welcome during my recent visit.
It was a pleasure to be shown around the school, join pupils in their lessons and see first-hand the care, creativity and dedication that go into supporting children in their early years. I was also grateful for the opportunity to hear more about some of the challenges facing early years education locally.
We also had an important discussion about the Government’s SEND reforms and the recent consultation, Putting Children and Young People First. I was pleased to continue that conversation with Headteacher Gill Crowley, who also attended my recent roundtable on the reforms with the Minister for School Standards, Georgia Gould. Her contribution helped underline just how important it is that the voices of schools, families and children are heard as these changes are developed.
Families in Erith and Thamesmead will be able to save money on services including free stay and play sessions for babies and young children, as Abena Oppong-Asare MP’s campaign secured the return of Sure Start-style services to their constituency, with a Best Start Family Hubs to open and help local families with the cost of living.
Parents will be able to access help with infant feeding, parenting advice and early support for children with SEND, in one place, reducing the need to pay for private classes or specialist support.
Having been elected on a manifesto to transform life chances by improving children’s start in life, Abena Oppong-Asare called on the Labour government to ‘rebuild’ Sure Start style services in Erith and Thamesmead – an area lacking in any government-funded provision following cuts to services following the election of the Conservatives in 2010. That left thousands of parents cut off from vital community support networks and specialist services – left to navigate the challenges of parenthood alone – as well as a devastating impact on children’s life chances, with early development, wellbeing and future attainment all in jeopardy.
The new Best Start Family Hub forms part of Labour’s wider efforts to make family life easier for those with younger children, including publishing new evidence-backed guidance on screen time this week in response to parents’ calls for support.
Bexley was one of 65 areas across the country left without government-funded family support.
Now, thanks to the work of local Labour MP, West Street Best Start Family Hub becomes one of over 200 new Best Start Family Hubs now opening to families, as Labour delivers on its pledge to ensure there is a hub in every council area. These form the first wave of up to 1,000 hubs across all local authorities by 2028.
New guidance sets out Labour’s plans to bring services families rely on together under one roof, making it easier to get help at the right time – reimagining Sure Start for the modern age through a more joined-up system of support.
Labour is also making a new commitment to deliver up to 2,000 satellite locations by 2028 – based in health centres, leisure centres, libraries and churches – so families experience seamless support in the places they already go.
The programme builds on the legacy of Sure Start, while updating family services for the modern world – combining face-to-face and digital support, strong partnerships with early years settings, and better use of existing community partners and spaces.
MP for Erith and Thamesmead, Abena Oppong-Asare said:
“I’m so pleased that my campaign to bring back family services to Erith and Thamesmead has been a success, helping to give local children the best start in life.
“This is the difference a Labour MP working with a Labour government can do for children and families in our area.
“This Best Start Family Hub will be transformative – alongside free breakfast clubs and government-funded childcare, we are showing this government is on the side of families in Erith and Thamesmead.”
Education Secretary Bridget Phillipson said:
“Children growing up in our country deserve the best start in life, but for too long, too many families have been navigating the pressures of parenthood without the support they need.
“Best Start Family Hubs will revitalise family services – bringing together health, parenting support and practical advice in one place, free and close to home, so that parents can get the help they need, when they need it.
“I’ve seen the difference Sure Start made in my community, and why it’s so important that we bring that support back today, reimagined for a new generation of families.”
“Whether it’s advice on child development, help with additional needs, or simply a friendly face in the community, this government is putting the support so many families used to rely on, back into each and every community.”
The new Best Start Family Hubs are backed by £900m of investment over the next three years – including half a billion to deliver hubs nationwide, £200 million for the Healthy Babies services, and a further £200 million to fund SEND practitioners in every hub.
Erith and Thamesmead’s Best Start Family Hub will have dedicated outreach workers to reach families, alongside a practitioner to help identify additional needs early – particularly those who might otherwise fall through the cracks – helping them access the right support sooner without being passed between services.
Alongside this, West Street Best Start Family Hub will deliver Healthy Babies support – bringing together health and early support such as midwifery, health visiting, infant feeding and perinatal mental health support so local families get a more joined-up experience from day one.
Health Secretary Wes Streeting said:
“I want babies born this year to grow up as the healthiest generation than any before it – and that means building good habits early.
“We know that the earliest years of a child’s life shape everything that follows. But for too long, families have had to navigate a maze of services at the very moment they need simple, straightforward help.
“We’re making it easier for families to get the right support in one place – from pregnancy through to age two.
“That means spotting problems earlier, stepping in sooner, and moving care closer to the communities that need it most.”
With significant investment over the next three years, Erith and Thamesmead’s Best Start Family Hub will play a key role in improving the school readiness of local children, supporting early development and helping parents manage the cost of living.
Hubs will also be able to host school-based nurseries, bringing childcare together with family support, health visiting and early SEND identification under one roof – giving families more joined-up support.
It comes as Labour prioritises support to make life easier for families across Erith and Thamesmead – from help with managing screen-time to major cost of living interventions, including saving eligible parents an average of £8,000 a year through government-funded childcare, up to £450 a year through Best Start free breakfast clubs, up to £500 a year through the expansion of free school meals, and around £300 a year through Best Start Holiday Activities and Food programmes, alongside the expansion of Best Start school-based nurseries.
https://www.abenaoppongasare.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/03/Best-Start-Family-Hub-in-Erith-News.png10801080Abena Oppong-Asare MPhttps://www.abenaoppongasare.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/03/SM-Logo-3.pngAbena Oppong-Asare MP2026-03-31 13:26:162026-03-31 13:39:57Campaign victory as Best Start Family Hub to open in Erith as part of family support revolution
This Tuesday, Abena Oppong-Asare, MP for Erith and Thamesmead, hosted a roundtable with the Minister for School Standards, Georgia Gould MP, alongside local headteachers and education leaders to discuss the Labour Government’s plans to reform support for children with special educational needs and disabilities (SEND).
The discussion brought together over 20 representatives from mainstream and special schools, trusts and colleges across the constituency, alongside Cllr Adel Khaireh, Cabinet Member for Children and Young People at the Royal Borough of Greenwich and Dr Sam Parrett CBE DL, Group Principal and CEO of Elevare Civic Education Group. The event was held at London South East Colleges’ Greenwich Campus in Plumstead.
The roundtable focused on how the government’s proposed reforms can improve outcomes for children with SEND, drawing on the frontline experience of local education leaders. Attendees shared insights into the challenges facing schools, including workforce pressures, funding, and ensuring effective support for children both with and without Education, Health and Care Plans (EHCPs).
Participants emphasised the importance of stronger collaboration between mainstream and specialist settings, as well as improving pathways into post-16 education and training.
The discussion forms part of ongoing engagement by the local MP, Abena Oppong-Asare, and Government to ensure local voices help shape the government’s approach to SEND reform.
The Labour Government’s plans aim to place inclusion at the heart of the education system and ensure every child can access the support they need. Proposed reforms include introducing tailored support plans for every child who needs additional help, and expanding teacher training to better support children with SEND, backed by £200 million investment.
The reforms come as the current SEND system continues to struggle to meet demand. Children with SEND are twice as likely to be persistently absent from school, while only 46% of EHCPs were completed within the 20-week target in 2025.
Closing the discussion, Local MP Abena Oppong-Asare highlighted her plans to feed into the ongoing SEND consultation using feedback gathered from the local education leaders present, as well as her wider engagement with parents, carers, SEND providers, and local authorities.
Abena Oppong-Asare, MP for Erith and Thamesmead said:
“I know from speaking to parents, carers and schools across my constituency that support for children with SEND is a top priority. That’s why I’m delighted that this Labour government is tackling the SEND crisis head on.
“It was a pleasure to host the Schools Minister as we welcomed over 20 representatives from mainstream and special schools, trusts and colleges from across Erith and Thamesmead, to come together to share their experiences and help shape a more inclusive education system.
“These reforms must ensure that children with SEND get the right support earlier, when and where they need it, without parents having to fight to get the better education – and the results – their kids deserve.
“I’m committed to working with local education providers and local parents to feed into this consultation to ensure we build a system that works for all.”
School Standards Minister Georgia Gould MP said:
“We’ve promised to put parents, young people, teachers and practitioners at the heart of building a new SEND system.
“That’s why sessions like this are so important and a huge thank you to Abena and London South East Colleges for facilitating. It was great to learn from those around the table about best practice in supporting children with SEND in early years, schools and colleges.
“This is once in a generation opportunity to transform the SEND system so please do share your thoughts through our consultation so we can collectively build a system that enables every child with SEND to achieve and thrive.”
Cllr Adel Khaireh, Cabinet Member for Children and Young People, Royal Borough of Greenwich said:
“I’m really grateful to Abena Oppong-Asare MP for bringing us together for this week’s SEND roundtable discussion with Minister for School Standards, Georgia Gould MP.
“It was a genuinely valuable conversation with education partners from across Erith and Thamesmead.”
Dr Sam Parrett CBE DL, Group Principal and CEO of Elevare Civic Education Group (incorporating London South East Colleges and London South East Academies Trust) said:
“We were delighted to host this event, which provided a valuable opportunity to bring frontline experience directly into the SEND reform conversation. Those of us working across schools and colleges offer vital insight into how we can build a more inclusive system for all learners.
“Sharing this expertise with policymakers is essential to ensuring children and young people remain at the heart of decision-making – which is very much our shared aim and responsibility.
“We are grateful to the Schools Minister and to our local MP, Abena Oppong-Asare, for hosting this week’s event, and to all the attendees for their meaningful contributions. We look forward to continuing this work together, as strong local and national collaboration will be key to delivering sustainable improvements.”
https://www.abenaoppongasare.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/03/SEND-Roundtable-3.jpeg9001600Abena Oppong-Asare MPhttps://www.abenaoppongasare.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/03/SM-Logo-3.pngAbena Oppong-Asare MP2026-03-26 12:08:272026-03-26 12:08:46Abena hosts Minister for School Standards and local headteachers to hear views on Labour’s plans for SEND reform
Families across Greenwich and Bexley boroughs will benefit from a landmark change in the law, as the Labour Government scraps the two-child limit – a move set to lift 5,230 children in Erith and Thamesmead constituency out of poverty.
The change forms part of a historic package that will lift 450,000 children out of poverty nationally, the biggest reduction in child poverty since records began.
For years, the two-child limit has been the single biggest driver of child poverty, pushing families into hardship despite many being in work. Its removal will provide immediate support to working families and help give every child the best start in life.
Abena Oppong-Asare, Labour MP for Erith and Thamesmead, said:
“This is a turning point for families in Erith and Thamesmead.
“Too many children have been held back through no fault of their own – and too many parents have been doing the right thing, working hard, but still struggling to make ends meet.
“Scrapping the two-child limit will lift 5,230 children in our community out of poverty and give families the security they deserve.
“This is what Labour in government means – taking real action to break the cycle of poverty and give every child the best possible start in life.”
The change comes alongside wider action to tackle child poverty, including expanding free school meals, boosting childcare, and supporting parents into work.
https://www.abenaoppongasare.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/03/WhatsApp-Image-2026-03-19-at-11.33.52-1.jpeg13501080Abena Oppong-Asare MPhttps://www.abenaoppongasare.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/03/SM-Logo-3.pngAbena Oppong-Asare MP2026-03-19 13:52:372026-03-19 13:52:39Thousands of local children lifted out of poverty as Government scraps two-child limit
More families and children in Erith and Thamesmead will soon benefit from free, daily breakfast clubs as the Labour government confirms the next 500 schools to offer the scheme from April, including Linton Mead Primary School, putting up to £450 a year back in local parents’ pockets.
It represents a campaign win for Erith and Thamesmead’s Labour Member of Parliament, Abena Oppong-Asare, who has encouraged all local schools to apply to join the scheme. As a result, 647 children in their constituency will be able to access a nutritious meal at the start of the day.
This announcement comes less than a year since Oppong-Asare welcomed the initial roll out of free breakfast clubs at Willow Bank Primary School and Jubilee Primary School, both based in her constituency. She was delighted to visit both of these breakfast clubs since their launch and spoke with teachers, parents, and students about the positive impact these clubs are already having on their lives.
The clubs come alongside a raft of measures driven forward by Labour to cut the cost of living for families in Erith and Thamesmead, including expanding free school meals, rolling out 30 hours of government-funded childcare, bringing down school uniform costs and securing the future of Best Start holiday clubs.
Delivering on promises made to working parents in Labour’s manifesto, all primary aged children attending Linton Mead Primary School will be able to access a free breakfast and at least 30 minutes of free childcare, every day, helping to support parents getting into work.
Universal Best Start free breakfast clubs are central to Labour’s Plan for Change, breaking down barriers to opportunity by making sure every child starts the school day ready to learn – with research showing the clubs have a lasting impact on children’s behaviour, attendance and attainment.
The scheme plays a role in Labour’s moral mission to tackle child poverty, with the government on track to secure the biggest reduction in child poverty within a single parliament. By targeting support, Labour’s clubs will reach half a million pupils in England’s most disadvantaged communities. This will provide an essential meal to ensure every child starts the day ready to learn.
Bridget Phillipson, Secretary of State for Education, said:
“Free breakfast clubs sit right at the heart of Labour’s Plan for Change, breaking the link between background and success for families all over the country.
“Breakfast clubs can have a transformative impact on the lives of millions of children, feeding hungry tummies and fuelling hungry minds, so every child begins the day ready to learn.
“Alongside our plans to roll out school-based nurseries and get thousands more children school-ready, this government is delivering the reforms needed to give every child, wherever they grow up, the best start in life.”
Abena Oppong-Asare, MP for Erith and Thamesmead, said:
“I am so happy to announce that Linton Mead Primary School has been selected as one of Labour’s Best Start free breakfast clubs and I cannot wait to see the club open in April.
“It’s a testament to both the school and the Labour government’s dedication to getting children school-ready so they are able to improve their attendance, attainment and wellbeing, as well as improving the household finances of local families.
“Through our Plan for Change, this Labour government is boosting parents’ work choices and children’s life chances.”
Photos from Past Free Breakfast Club Visits at Jubilee and Willow Bank Primary Schools:
https://www.abenaoppongasare.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/02/New-Free-Breakfast-Club-for-Linton-Mead-Primary.png10801080Abena Oppong-Asare MPhttps://www.abenaoppongasare.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/03/SM-Logo-3.pngAbena Oppong-Asare MP2026-02-13 14:17:152026-02-13 14:23:36Another Local School Set to Benefit from Free Breakfast Club, Confirms Erith and Thamesmead MP
Abena Oppong-Asare, Labour MP for Erith and Thamesmead, has hailed this week as a momentous and landmark moment for renters, as the Renters’ Rights Bill officially receives Royal Assent, delivering the biggest reform of renting in over forty years.
More than eleven million private renters across England, including over 2.7 million in London and over 115,000 in Greenwich and Bexley boroughs, will now benefit from stronger rights, greater security and fairer treatment in their homes. This will mean tens of thousands more families in Erith and Thamesmead constituency living in safer and more secure homes.
The new law abolishes Section 21 no-fault evictions, ending the practice that allowed landlords to remove tenants without reason. It introduces periodic tenancies so renters can stay as long as they need and gives councils new powers to crack down on rogue landlords.
The Act also ends rental bidding wars that push up costs, extends Awaab’s Law to private tenants to force landlords to fix dangerous damp and mould quickly, and applies the Decent Homes Standard to private rented homes for the first time. It makes discrimination against tenants with children or those receiving benefits illegal, creates a new Private Rented Sector Database and Ombudsman to improve transparency and ensure swift and fair dispute resolution, and strengthens renters’ rights to request pets so landlords can no longer refuse without good reason.
Abena Oppong-Asare, MP for Erith and Thamesmead, said:
“This is a historic moment for renters in Erith and Thamesmead and across the country. For too long, families have faced insecurity, sudden evictions, and poor housing. That ends now.
“In the boroughs of Greenwich and Bexley, over 115,000 private renters will now have stronger rights, safer homes and real peace of mind.
“Labour has done in fifteen months what the Conservatives failed to deliver in fourteen years. We are giving renters the security and fairness they deserve – safe, stable homes where people can build their lives.
“But our work continues. In May’s local elections, we need strong Labour councils working with this Government to raise standards, enforce the rules, and build a fairer housing system for all.”
Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, Steve Reed, said:
“Our historic Act marks the biggest leap forward in renters’ rights in a generation. We are finally ending the injustice overseen by previous governments that has left millions living in fear of losing their homes.
“For decades, the scales have been tipped against tenants. Now, we’re levelling the playing field between renters and landlords.
“We are tearing down the walls of injustice in the private rented sector and building a future where tenants are protected, respected and empowered.
“This is a historic moment for renters across the country and we’re proud to deliver it.”
This is the change millions were promised and never received under the Conservatives. Labour is delivering it – a fair deal for renters and a foundation for a better Britain.
https://www.abenaoppongasare.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/10/WhatsApp-Image-2025-10-28-at-17.10.01.jpeg15362048Abena Oppong-Asare MPhttps://www.abenaoppongasare.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/03/SM-Logo-3.pngAbena Oppong-Asare MP2025-10-29 10:49:192025-10-29 10:49:20Renters Rights Bill Becomes Law – “A Momentous Victory for Renters in Erith and Thamesmead”
MP for Erith and Thamesmead, has today celebrated the great win announced to bring family and community services back to Bexley.
Having been elected on a manifesto to transform life chances by improving children’s start in life, Abena Oppong-Asare MP has pressed the Labour government to ‘rebuild’ Sure Start style services in Bexley – an area lacking in any provision of this type following cuts to services following the election of the Conservatives in 2010. That left thousands of parents cut off from vital community support networks and specialist services – left to navigate the challenges of parenthood alone – as well as a devastating impact on children’s life chances, with early development, wellbeing and future attainment all in jeopardy.
Yesterday (14 October), the Labour government announced grants provided to local authorities to ensure every community has a Best Start Family Hub. 1,000 Best Start Family Hubs are to be rolled out across the country by April 2026 to provide wide-ranging help for families, such as parenting and early development – including £150,259 in Bexley.
Labour’s Best Start Family Hubs will act as a one stop shop for parents seeking a range of support, including on difficulty breastfeeding, housing issues or children’s early development and language, reassuring families that they have convenient access to support in their local area or can be efficiently connected to specialist local services.
Education Secretary, Bridget Phillipson said:
“It’s the driving mission of this government to break the link between a child’s background and what they go on to achieve – our new Best Start Family Hubs will put the first building blocks of better life chances in place for more children.
“I saw firsthand how initiatives like Sure Start helped level the playing field, transforming the lives of children by putting in place family support in the earliest years of life, and as part of our Plan for Change, we’re building on its legacy for the next generation of children.
“Making sure hard-working parents are able to benefit from more early help is a promise made, and promise kept – delivering a lifeline of consistent support across the nation, ensuring health, social care and education work in unison to ensure all children get the best start in life.”
Abena Oppong-Asare, MP for Erith and Thamesmead, said:
“I’m so pleased that my commitment at the General Election to bring back family services to Bexley has been a success, helping to give local children the best start in life.
“This is the difference a Labour MP working with a Labour government can do for children and families in our area.
“This £150,259 investment to open a local Best Start family hub will be transformative – alongside government-funded childcare and new free breakfast clubs right here in our community, we are delivering on our Plan for Change.”
Bexley’s new Best Start Family Hub will complement the Labour Government’s wider efforts to make family life easier and ease pressure on parents — including expanding free childcare to 30 hours, extending school-based nursery places, and introducing free breakfast clubs in every primary school.
Earlier this year, the first phase of the breakfast club rollout included two local schools in Erith and Thamesmead — Jubilee Primary and Willow Bank Primary. Abena Oppong-Asare MP recently visited pupils taking part in these clubs and heard first-hand how valuable a good start to the day can be.
September also saw the launch of the Labour government’s digital service, www.beststartinlife.gov.uk, a new national digital hub linked NHS services to offer trusted advice and connect to support.
https://www.abenaoppongasare.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/10/Untitled-4.png15361536Abena Oppong-Asare MPhttps://www.abenaoppongasare.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/03/SM-Logo-3.pngAbena Oppong-Asare MP2025-10-15 10:59:082025-10-15 11:03:32Bexley Families to Benefit from £150,259 Labour Government Investment
Abena Oppong-Asare, MP for Erith and Thamesmead has today (Friday 6 June) come out in support of the Labour government’s plans to deliver a free nutritious meal every school day for over half a million more children, as Labour puts £500 back into parents’ pockets every year by expanding eligibility for free school meals.
This news comes after the successful launch of free breakfast clubs earlier this year, including at local primary schools in Erith and Thamesmead. Abena Oppong-Asare MP was delighted to visit one of these schools – Jubilee Primary School – to witness firsthand the positive difference the breakfast clubs are already making for local pupils and their families.
This announcement now means from the start of the 2026 school year, every pupil in Erith and Thamesmead whose household is on Universal Credit will have a new entitlement to free school meals. This will make life easier and more affordable for parents who struggle the most, delivering on Labour’s Plan for Change to break down barriers to opportunity and give children the best start in life.
The unprecedented expansion will lift 100,000 children across England completely out of poverty. Giving children the access to a nutritious meal during the school day also leads to higher attainment, improved behaviour and better outcomes – meaning they get the best possible education and chance to succeed in work and life.
The expansion will mean half a million more free lunches across England, on top of the 3 million already dished out every day – bringing the numbers up towards 8,880 right here in Erith and Thamesmead constituency.
Since 2018, children have only been eligible for free school meals if their household income is less than £7,400 per year, meaning hundreds of thousands of children living in poverty has been unable to access free school meals.
Labour’s historic new expansion to those on Universal Credit will change this and comes ahead of the Child Poverty Taskforce publishing its ten-year-strategy to drive sustainable change later this year. It comes on top of targeted support for families being hit the hardest with the cost-of-living crisis, with urgent action including raising the national minimum wage, uprating benefits and supporting 700,000 families through the Fair Repayment Rate on Universal Credit deductions.
Prime Minister Keir Starmer said:
“Working parents across the country are working tirelessly to provide for their families but are being held back by cost-of-living pressures.
“My government is taking action to ease those pressures. Feeding more children every day, for free, is one of the biggest interventions we can make to put more money in parents’ pockets, tackle the stain of poverty, and set children up to learn.
“This expansion is a truly historic moment for our country, helping families who need it most and delivering our Plan for Change to give every child, no matter their background, the same chance to succeed.”
Education Secretary Bridget Phillipson said:
“It is the moral mission of this government to tackle the stain of child poverty, and today this government takes a giant step towards ending it with targeted support that puts money back in parents’ pockets.
“From free school meals to free breakfast clubs, breaking the cycle of child poverty is at the heart of our Plan for Change to cut the unfair link between background and success.
“We believe that background shouldn’t mean destiny. Today’s historic step will help us to deliver excellence everywhere, for every child and give more young people the chance to get on in life.”
Labour is also offering more than £13 million in funding to 12 food charities across England to redistribute thousands of tonnes of fresh produce directly from farms to fight food poverty in communities.
The Tackling Food Surplus at the Farm Gate scheme is helping farms and organisations to work collaboratively to ensure edible food that might have been left in fields instead ends up on the plates of those who need it, including schoolchildren. This comes as part of Labour’s wider Food Strategy, helping to drive change and support a healthier, more sustainable and resilient food system.
Work and Pensions Secretary Liz Kendall said:
“Poverty robs children of opportunities and damages their future prospects. This is a moral scar on our society we are committed to tackling.
“By expanding Free School Meals to all families on Universal Credit, we’re ending the impossible choice thousands of our hardest grafting families must make between paying bills and feeding their children.
“This is just the latest step of our Plan for Change to put extra pounds in people’s pockets – a downpayment on our Child Poverty Strategy, building on our expansion of free breakfast clubs, our national minimum wage boost and our cap on Universal Credit deductions through the Fair Repayment Rate.”
Abena Oppong-Asare, MP for Erith and Thamesmead, said:
“I know from speaking directly to local parents how much the stain of child poverty has impacted families in Erith and Thamesmead.
“That’s why I fully support this decisive and much needed action to expand the entitlement for free school meals to thousands of children across Erith and Thamesmead, lifting many out of poverty and putting money back in parents’ pockets.
“Children deserve the best start in life, and I’m proud that Labour is delivering this through its Plan for Change.”
To ensure quality and nutrition in meals for the future, Labour is also acting quickly with experts across the sector to revise the School Food Standards, so every school is supported with the latest nutrition guidance.
This new entitlement will apply to children in all settings where free school meals are currently delivered, including schools, school-based nurseries and Further Education settings. We expect the majority of schools will allow parents to apply before the start of the school year 2026, by providing their National Insurance Number to check their eligibility.
Schools and local authorities will continue to receive pupil premium and home to school transport extended rights funding based on the existing free school meals threshold.
This is just the latest step in Labour’s Plan for Change to break the unfair link between background and opportunity, including rolling out free breakfast clubs, expanding government funded childcare to 30 hours a week for working parents and commitment to cap the number of branded school uniform items.
From April 2026 until the end of parliament, millions of households are set to receive a permanent yearly above inflation boost to Universal Credit. The increase, a key element of the Government’s welfare reforms to be laid before Parliament, will tackle the destitution caused by years of inaction that has left the value of the standard allowance at a 40 year low by the early 2020s.
https://www.abenaoppongasare.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/06/GsqnqU_XcAACiJL.jpeg13501080Abena Oppong-Asare MPhttps://www.abenaoppongasare.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/03/SM-Logo-3.pngAbena Oppong-Asare MP2025-06-06 15:43:312025-06-06 15:43:32Abena Oppong-Asare MP Welcomes Labour’s Free School Meals Expansion Plan for Thousands of Erith and Thamesmead Children
Pupils in Erith and Thamesmead are set to benefit from essential maintenance fixes being rolled out in schools across the country thanks to the Labour government, with up to £110.3 million being invested in schools across London alone through the Condition Improvement Fund (CIF).
Children at these local schools will benefit from a share of £470 million for projects in education and healthcare settings, set to fix crumbling roofs and remove dangerous asbestos – restoring pride in England’s classrooms and undoing years of dangerous Conservative neglect.
The five schools in Erith and Thamesmead that will benefit from the fund include:
Christ Church (Erith) Church of England Primary School
Shooters Hill Sixth Form College
St Augustine of Canterbury Church of England Primary School
Trinity Church of England School, Belvedere
Windrush Thamesmead Primary School
These schools will benefit from a range of essential upgrades, including urgent fire safety improvements, modern heating systems, and other critical infrastructure repairs. This will ensure local pupils are kept warm, safe, and in the best possible environment for learning.
The funding is part of Labour’s mission to fix the dire state of public services inherited from the Conservatives and deliver investment and reform through the Plan for Change, supporting children to get the best start in life.
It is part of a record £2.1 billion investment into the school estate this year – £300 million more than the previous year – as Labour forges on with delivering for the public by investing in our children, their futures and the future of this country.
MP for Erith and Thamesmead, Abena Oppong-Asare, said:
“Parents across Erith and Thamesmead will remember the terror of the RAAC crisis, the fear that children were no longer safe in their own school because of years of Tory neglect.
“Labour is turning the page through our Plan for Change, literally fixing the foundations of our schools so local children are in a safe environment where the can achieve and thrive.
“Having spoken directly to many schools in our community, I know just how urgently these improvements are needed. These upgrades will make a real difference to staff, pupils, and the future of our local schools.
“With free breakfast clubs, cheaper uniform costs and safer schools, Labour is setting children up for the best start.”
Education Secretary Bridget Phillipson said:
“The defining image of the school estate under the previous government was children sitting under steel props to stop crumbling concrete falling on their heads. It simply isn’t good enough.
“Parents expect their children to learn in a safe warm environment. It’s what children deserve, and it is what we are delivering.
“This investment is about more than just buildings – it’s about showing children that their education matters, their futures matter, and this government is determined to give them the best possible start in life.”
Labour’s investment will deliver energy efficient, warm classrooms with safe outdoor spaces that are not just fit for lessons, but for the future. Creating a welcoming and supportive school environment for generations of children so they can achieve and thrive as they progress through their education.
A further £1.4 billion will back the acceleration of the School Rebuilding Programme this year, with a commitment to kickstart projects at 100 schools this year alone, as Labour seeks to fix the foundations of our school estate.
Rejuvenating schools by delivering new, high-quality buildings that are not just energy efficient but fit for all pupils needs.
This will provide high-tech facilities that will raise the standards of education through new sports halls, IT rooms, school kitchens and playgrounds that children and staff can enjoy for years to come.
Projects will be delivered during the 2025 to 2026 financial year, with the first upgrades expected to begin this summer.
