Thousands more children now eligible for free school meals

THOUSANDS more children in the North East are becoming eligible for free school meals – with youngsters in some areas among the most likely to get them in England.

A teaching union says it is “shocking” that the numbers needing state-funded lunches continue to rise but warns they’re still not reaching all those who need them.

The region had 115,762 state school pupils eligible for free school meals (FSMS) this January, Department for Education (DFE) data shows.

That was up from the 108,822 counted the previous year and well above the 71,358 recorded in 2016.

In North Tyneside, the number rose by 9.6% to 7,581 (24.2% of all pupils), which was the steepest increase in the region.

But the area with the highest proportion of children able to get FSMS was Newcastle, where it was nearly two in five pupils (38.8%) – the joint sixth-highest rate in England.

That was followed by Middlesbrough, at 38.2%, which was the ninth-highest percentage.

Nationally, the figure rose by 160,000 over the year, to around 1.9 million (22.5%).

Some of the rise is due to rules meaning children can continue to claim FSMS even if a change in their family circumstances would otherwise stop them being eligible.

But the Association of School and College Leaders (ASCL) said the pandemic is also driving the increase, as more families are affected by illness and job losses.

Julie Mcculloch, director of policy at ASCL, 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 FSMS, and therefore living in extremely difficult financial circumstances.

“Even more shocking is the fact that current eligibility does not even capture all the children who need help.

“FSM eligibility now applies to 22.5% of pupils, but we know that the level of child poverty is about 30%.”

ASCL and other organisations are campaigning for all children from families on Universal Credit (UC) to be able to get FSMS.

Currently, a household on UC in England must earn less than £7,400 a year.

It is hard to work out how many more children in the North East would benefit from FSMS if they were made more widely available.

Department for Work and Pensions figures show there were at least 186,131 children in families on UC in February.

However, that will include some very young children and some over-16s who would not be able to claim free school meals.

It will also include children in

Reception, Year 1 and Year 2 who are already eligible for free meals, as the offer is universal for those age groups, regardless of family income.

The Child Poverty Action Group estimates that 800,000 children living in poverty across England are missing out on FSMS due to restrictive eligibility criteria.

A DFE spokesperson said: “Over 1.9 million children are now eligible for FSMS, and we communicate regularly with schools and councils so they know what is available for these children.

“We know millions of families are struggling with the rising cost of living, which is why we are providing over £37 billion to target those with the greatest need.”