New official data shows 900,000 children in poverty don't qualify for free school meals under national policy

• charity calls on all parties to make wider free meals eligibility an election pledge 

Nine hundred thousand children in poverty are not eligible for free school meals (FSM) because the qualifying criteria is so restrictive, Child Poverty Action Group analysis of DfE FSM data, published today, shows. 

The charity calls on all political parties to make universal free school meals a priority pledge in their election manifestos – to relieve pressure on household budgets and ensure every child has the food they need to learn and thrive. 

In England through national schemes, universal free school meals are only provided to children in reception, year 1 and year 2.  From year 3 onwards, free school meals are means-tested. For a family on universal credit to qualify, their combined household income must be £7,400 or less excluding benefit payments.*

Research by CPAG and the NEU shows when free meals are provided for every child they’re not only a financial lifeline for struggling families and fuel for children’s learning but also reduce stigma in the lunch hall, improve home-school relations (because worries about dinner money debt evaporate) and encourage good eating habits among children. **

Commenting the charity’s finding, CPAG’s Head of Education policy Kate Anstey said: 

"Classrooms across England are full of children who are hungry or worrying about food. And lunch halls can be a place of stigma for kids who do get a free school meal. Ensuring every child has a free lunch at school is essential to support wellbeing, learning and inclusion. All political parties should fulfil their responsibility to protect children by committing now to universal free school meals."

Notes to editors: 

The 900,000 figure does not account for children who are receiving free school meals under local optional schemes such as the Mayor of London’s.   

*In 2021, the Scottish Government announced that it would roll out universal FSM entitlement to all children in primary school, and in 2022, the Welsh Government followed suit. Both Governments are in the process of rolling out FSM to all children in primary schools. In addition to these nationwide programmes, the London boroughs of Southwark, Newham, Islington, Westminster and Tower Hamlets offer universal FSM for children in primary schools, with Tower Hamlets recently announcing the rollout of universal FSM in secondary schools also. York Council has recently announced a pilot scheme offering universal FSM, signalling growing support for the policy across the country. Despite this, school meal entitlement remains variable across the UK, with children receiving different levels of support depending on where they live. In 2023, the mayor of London announced a programme funding FSM entitlement for all primary school pupils in London, this programme is now being delivered and plans are in place to evaluate the outcomes of the programme. Funding for the Mayor’s policy has been guaranteed for two academic years and plans are in place for the continuation of the policy beyond this. 

The Department for Education’s data showing the number of children on free school meals, published today, is here https://explore-education-statistics.service.gov.uk/find-statistics/school-pupils-and-their-characteristics#dataBlock-80a316bf-c0c5-44a1-9e06-7b1df0649bd8-tables

CPAG and NEU’s evaluation of the effects of providing free school meals, published in December 2023, is here https://cpag.org.uk/sites/default/files/2023-12/Universalism_multiplier.pdf

Methodology note on CPAG’s analysis: 

The poverty measure used is relative after housing costs (AHC). The estimated number of children in poverty who missed out on FSM was calculated using Households Below Average Income 2022/23. From that survey data, entitlement can be calculated based on the earnings of the household and the various eligibility criteria for different means-tested benefits, accounting for the migration of households on to universal credit.

There will be some households who currently earn above the eligibility criteria but because of transitional protection, they are still eligible for FSM. The number of these households was calculated using data on the share of FSM eligible pupils in Wales who are covered by transitional protection (similar data does not exist publicly in England). Understanding Society was then used to estimate the number of these households who are above and below the poverty line.

Children not covered by means-tested FSM but covered by universal infant FSM are not included in the 900,000 as they are receiving free lunches.

CPAG media office: 07816 909302