Child Poverty Action Group calls for FSM eligibility criteria to be changed
The nations each have different free school meals eligibility criteria, with Scotland until recently leading the UK nations in expanding provision now falling behind Wales. England’s policy is by far the most restrictive.
Kate Anstey, head of UK education policy at Child Poverty Action Group, said: “The provision of free school meals greatly depends on where you live in the UK but none of the nations are managing to get a free meal in the middle of the day to every child in poverty.
“That fails some of the children who would benefit the most. The UK Government and devolved governments must change the qualifying criteria so that every child that needs a school lunch has one, while working towards removing means-testing entirely from the lunch hall. School food and its benefits must be available to children in a way that’s reliable, not random.”
One third (33%) of children in poverty in England (900,000 children) don’t qualify for free school meals. In Wales 15% of children in poverty aren’t eligible under its national scheme (20,000 children). In both Scotland and Northern Ireland the figure is 20% (25,000 children and 15,000 respectively).
In Northern Ireland the income threshold for qualifying is considerably higher than in England (at before benefits and tax £15,000 in Northern Ireland and £7,400 in England for families on universal credit).
Research shows children’s health, attainment and social experiences in the dining hall improve when free school meals are available to all children. Universal provision also supports home-school relations through the elimination of school dinner debt.
John Dickie, director of Child Poverty Action Group in Scotland, commented: “This new analysis from CPAG is a stark reminder of just how important John Swinney’s promise of free school meals for all primary school pupils in Scotland was.
“With so many children in poverty missing out, young people themselves telling us what a priority free school meals are, and the Scottish Parliament unanimous in its support the First Minister must surely now reinstate the delivery of free school meals for all primary school pupils.”
CPAG is calling on all UK Governments to get free school meals to more children and work towards removing means-testing entirely from the dining hall.