Schools across England are regularly paying out of their own pocket to feed hungry children who are ineligible for free school meals, according to new polling.
A survey of 10,000 teachers carried out by the charity School Food Matters found 38% of senior leaders said their school has been providing free school meals to ineligible pupils, with that number rising to 51% in the poorest areas of the country.
To be eligible for free school meals, a child’s family must be in receipt of universal credit and have a total household income of less than £7,400 in a year. This has resulted in an estimated one million children living in poverty in England missing out on free school meals, according to previous analysis by the Child Poverty Action Group.
School Food Matters has joined other campaign groups in calling for the UK government to review its eligibility criteria. “The news that cash-strapped schools across England are dipping into their budgets to feed hungry children is shocking,” said Stephanie Slater, founder and chief executive at School Food Matters. “Schools cannot continue to plug gaps in provision with these drastic measures. The government must expand free school meals so that every child has the good nutrition they need to thrive.”
The survey also found evidence of hunger impacting children’s learning. Four in 10 (38%) teachers said pupils in their class were regularly too hungry to learn, with the figure rising to 63% in the most deprived areas. More than a fifth of teachers (22%) said this issue has got worse since the start of the academic year in September 2023.
In London, all primary-age children are entitled to free school meals for the next four years under a policy introduced by the Mayor of London, Sadiq Khan.
“Primary school children in London benefiting under the Mayor’s policy are already experiencing the positive impacts free school meals can bring,” said Nikita Sinclair, director of children’s health and food at Impact on Urban Health, a partner of School Food Matters. “Investing in children’s health and expanding free school meals nationally would provide significant long-term benefits to the economy and give all children the chance to learn and thrive, no matter where they live.”
