No free school meals for 42% of Wales’ pupils in poverty
WALES has the highest proportion of children living in poverty in the UK who don’t qualify for free school meals because of anomalies in the eligibility rules, according to a report from a leading anti-poverty charity.
The analysis from the Child Poverty Action Group (CPAG) shows that despite a rise in the number of children claiming FSMs between March 2020 and March 2021, restrictive eligibility criteria still prevent many in poverty from accessing any form of free school meal provision.
Households on Universal Credit in England and Wales must earn less than £7,400 a year to be eligible for free school meals, regardless of the number of children in the family. In Scotland, they must earn less than £7,320, while in Northern Ireland, the threshold is higher at £14,000.
These low limits on income mean that many children from working families are in poverty but unable to access free school meals.
While the majority of children in poverty who don’t qualify for free school meals are in England, due to its much larger population, all four nations have a concerning proportion of children in poverty missing out.
In Wales, 42% (55,000) of children in poverty miss out; in England, 37% (900,000); in Scotland, 17% (25,000); and in Northern Ireland, 22% (20,000).
Low-income parents participating in the Covid Realities research project shared their experience of free school meals to inform the report, and helped to develop recommendations.
All parents whose children receive free school meals said they value that provision highly, and that it made a “huge difference” to family life. Those whose children did not receive free school meals highlighted barriers to eligibility including being in receipt of working tax credit.
CPAG and Covid Realities participants are making an urgent call to extend means-tested free school meals to everyone on Universal Credit or equivalent benefits at an estimated cost of £700m.
In addition, free school meals should be extended to all families with no recourse to public funds.
The authors are also recommending a move towards universal free school meals for all children in the UK, citing the “numerous benefits” of this approach, including increased take-up and reduced stigma.
CPAG estimates that universal free school meals for all children in the UK would cost £1.75bn.
As a smaller step towards that, they recommend following the Scottish Government’s lead by extending universal free school meals to all primary school pupils in the rest of the UK. CPAG estimates this would cost £770m per year.
CPAG and Covid Realities participants are also calling for better support for family finances throughout the year by addressing the inadequacy of the social security system.
They say this would help families during pinch points like the school holidays, when many families have to rely on support schemes to make ends meet.
In the short term, the authors are calling for the planned £20 cut to Universal Credit to be abandoned.
Kate Anstey, UK Cost of the School Day lead at CPAG, said: “It should be an outrage that so many children in poverty aren’t allowed a free school meal. We know what a huge difference these meals can make to struggling families who are at their wits’ end. It’s high time we gave them one less thing to worry about – that’s why we’re calling for urgent changes to the rules so all families on a low income can get this daily support.”
Dr Maddy Power, co-investigator of the Covid Realities project, said: “Listening to parents and carers living on a low income, the important difference that free school meals can make is evident, but also the hardship caused when families, despite living in poverty, miss out on this essential support.
“Parents and carers are clear that ultimately the only dignified and fair solution is universal free school meals for all children in the UK. In the short term, however, change is needed urgently to ensure that all families living on a low income are entitled to free school meals.”
A Welsh Government spokesman responded: “As Wales recovers from the pandemic, tackling poverty and inequality is at the heart of our plans. We are reviewing the eligibility criteria for free school meals, an update on which will be provided in September.
“We have also allocated an additional £83.3m for free school meals since the start of the pandemic.”