Demand for free school dinners for all children
CHANCELLOR Jeremy Hunt has been urged to useWednesday’s Budget to extend free school meals for all primary school pupils.
In Scotland, Holyrood has committed to feed all primary children, while in Wales the rollout of universal primary free school meals began in September 2022.
But in England, only in London do all primary pupils get free hot meals, a scheme now in its second year after it was extended by London Mayor Sadiq Khan in January.
Graham Whitham, CEO at Greater Manchester Poverty Action, said: “At a time when every penny counts, we’ve got to get past this awful situation where you have to meet a very low-income threshold for your children to be eligible for free school meals.
“The threshold hasn’t been uprated since 2018 and more and more struggling families are finding their income isn’t quite low enough to be below that threshold.”
Households in England receiving universal credit and earning below £7,400 a year before benefits and after tax qualify for free school meals.
In Northern Ireland, the family earnings threshold is £14,000 after tax and before benefits.
According to Government figures, 23.8% of pupils were eligible for free school meals in 2023 – up from 22.5% in 2022, but campaigners say this is nowhere near enough. Independent North of Tyne Mayor, Jamie Driscoll, said: “Child poverty not only damages individuals and families, but it also leaves deep scarring on our society and economy.
“In the sixth richest country in the world, no child, or parent should be going without food.
“We need Government to step up and support our work by extending free school meals to all primary school children.”
Expanding free school meals to all primary state school pupils in England would cost £1billion in the longer term, according to the Institute for Fiscal Studies. But research shows that it could actually generate billions for the economy across health, education and social sectors. Analysis from PwC, commissioned by the Impact for Urban Health, found that for every £1 invested in providing meals to all children in households on universal credit, £1.38 would be returned over the next 20 years through “core benefits” across social, health and educational areas.
Green MP Caroline Lucas said: “The Government must no longer drag its feet – we need free school meals rolled out across the country as a matter of urgency.”
A Department for Education spokesman said: “We want to give every child the best start in life.We have doubled the number of children receiving free school meals since 2010 from one sixth to one third.”
‘In the word’s sixth richest country, no child or parent should go without food’