Worries over rise in pupils on free meals

Head teachers have criticised a “shocking” rise in the number of pupils eligible for free school meals.

Government figures released yesterday show 22.5% of youngsters are eligible for free school meals, up from 20.8% in 2021 and representing just under 1.9 million children.

Julie Mcculloch, policy director at the Association of School and College Leaders, said it is “shocking that in one of the world’s wealthiest economies we are seeing a very significant increase in the number of children eligible for free school meals – and therefore living in extremely difficult financial circumstances”.

She said the union recognises that the rise is “at least partly due” to transitional protections over a change in benefit payments, linked to free meals eligibility, but added that it is “also likely that we are seeing the economic impact of the pandemic on many families affected by illness and job losses”.

“Their circumstances will become even more severe because of the cost-of-living crisis,” she said.

The proportion of pupils receiving free school meals in England has risen from around one in seven in 2015-16 to more than one in five in 2021-22.

The UK Government said that on April 1 2018, transitional protections were put in place for the rollout of Universal Credit, which meant pupils eligible for free school meals on or after that date retained their eligibility even if their circumstances changed.

“Prior to the pandemic, this had been the main driver in the increase in the proportion of pupils eligible for free school meals as pupils continue to become eligible but fewer pupils stop being eligible.”